It’s a great time to be a horror fan. The genre has been thriving for a number of years now, and some of the best horror movies have returned thanks to new sequels/reboots. But there’s also been some great original flicks, to the joy of moviegoers. It was recently revealed that one of 2023’s sneakiest box office successes, The Blackening, is getting a sequel. And I’m so hyped.
The Blackening was directed by Tim Story, and was a bonker horror comedy that poked fun at tropes of the genre, especially related to Black characters. The Blackening was a sneaky box office success, competing with major blockbusters like The Flash and earning a whopping 18.5 million on a much smaller budget. And now Variety is reporting that a sequel is in the works by MRC and Lionsgate. Not much is known about what the follow-up will entail, but I am over the moon that this is becoming a full-blown franchise.
I loved The Blackening when it was available to rent, and it made for an A+ Halloween horror watch for October. With a wholly unique tone, The Blackening was written by Tracy Oliver and DeWayne Perkins, with the latter also starring as one of the movie’s biggest characters. The film follows a group of friends who go to a remote cabin to celebrate Juneteenth, when they find a racist board game called (you guessed it) The Blackening. They’re forced to play by a masked killer, hilariously examining the way Black people have been treated in the media in the process.
Not much is known about what’s coming in the forthcoming sequel, but DeWayne Perkins previously spoke about using the same ensemble for a new horror story. The Blackening’s cast absolutely killed their performances, so I think that’s probably the best move. Perkins was previously quoted by Variety as saying:
Same group, sprinkle in some new people. I feel like we’ve got something good, and I love the dynamic, but fresh blood always turns things up a little bit.
While the news of a sequel is going to thrill horror fans, nothing is known about what’s being planned by those behind the burgeoning franchise. Narratively, the movie saw the group of friends ultimately come out on top of the killer, who was actually within their ranks. So the doors open for whatever comes next.
In addition to its box office performance, the critical response to The Blackening was positive as well. And since most of the cast survived their harrowing battle against the killers, the same characters should be able to return. I’m super curious about what the filmmakers have up their sleeves, and how they’ll continue to balance comedy and horror.
The Blackening is currently on Starz, and available to purchase. Be sure to check out the 2024 movie release dates to plan your next movie experience.
