A film that grossed more than US$378 million at the box office and won the Academy Award for Best Picture received an unexpected sequel update 16 years after its release. Since the inaugural ceremony in 1929, the Oscar for Best Picture has been awarded annually and is considered the event’s most prestigious honor, traditionally the last trophy handed out of the night. Over the years, some big box office hits have won the award, with Titanic, The Lord of the Rings: The Return of the Kingand Oppenheimer among the highest-grossing best film winners.
Of the many films that have won Best Picture over the years, even huge box office hits, few have received sequels, often due to their independent narratives, artistic integrity, among other reasons. One of the first Best Picture winners to receive a sequel was The godfather which, the highest-grossing film at the time of its release, was followed by two sequels, The Godfather Part IIwhich also won the award for Best Film, and The Godfather Part III. Another example from the 1970s was Rockywhich received five sequels. Gladiator is the most recent example, with Gladiator II release on November 22nd.
Slumdog Millionaire gets unexpected sequel update 16 years later
Best Picture Winner Grossed Over $378 Million at the Box Office
Slumdog Millionairethe Best Picture-winning film that grossed $378.4 million at the box office gets an unexpected sequel update 16 years later. Co-directed by Danny Boyle and Loveleen Tandan with a screenplay written by Simon Beaufoy loosely based on a 2005 novel by Vikas Swarup the 2008 film follows a teenager from the slums of MumbaiJamal Malik, who competes in the Hindi version of Who Wants to Be a Millionaire? and, interrogated on suspicion of treason, tells the story of his life and reveals how he managed to answer each question correctly. Dev Patel starred in his film debut.
Now, 16 years after its release, the Best Picture winner has received an unexpected sequel update. According to Deadline, the film sequel and TV rights to Slumdog Millionaire to have was acquired by newly launched production banner Bridge7. The rights were acquired from Celador Films, who produced and financed the original film but will still work with Bridge7 on the planned sequel. The new banner is run by Swati Shetty and Grant Kessmanm, who shared the following statement:
Some stories stay with us long after the credits roll, and Slumdog Millionaire is undoubtedly one of them. Its narrative is universal, crossing cultural and geographic borders and embodies the types of stories we love – those that combine entertainment with deep human experiences.
What this means for a Slumdog Millionaire sequel
It’s a serious possibility
This news is somewhat surprising because, in the 16 years since Slumdog Millionaire became a huge box office success and won the Best Film award, there is practically no talk of a sequel. While this doesn’t mean it’s officially happening, Bridge7 acquiring the rights and planning to work with Celador is a sign that they’re serious about making a sequel to Slumdog Millionairebe it a film or television show. It’s currently unclear whether Dev Patel or any other members of the original cast will return for the potential sequel, though it’s expected that they will.the next chapter of Jamal’s journey.”
Source: Deadline