The Last Witch Hunter was released in 2015, and like most of Vin Diesel's projects outside of Fast & Furious and Guardians of the Galaxy, it didn't really connect with moviegoers.
The movie grossed just shy of $147 million on a reported $71 million - $90 million budget, and sits at a dire 18% on Rotten Tomatoes. As the review aggregator's Critics Consensus puts it, "Grim, plodding, and an overall ill fit for Vin Diesel's particular charms, The Last Witch Hunter will bore and/or confuse all but the least demanding action-fantasy fans."
Despite that, Deadline (via SFFGazette.com) has confirmed that Lionsgate is moving forward with a sequel to The Last Witch Hunter (Diesel first teased his return as Kaulder, the immortal Witch Hunter, in an Instagram post last week).
While a deal has yet to be finalised, screen icon Michael Caine is also attached to reprise his role as Dolan in the follow-up. Yes, this is the movie that the 92-year-old star of The Dark Knight Trilogy is coming out of retirement for.
Why is a critical and commercial flop getting a sequel? As the trade puts it, "The move goes with Lionsgate's strategy to grow IP with staying power and sci-fi fantasy spectacle elements that can overperform in the ancillary markets and create long-term library value."
It's later said that the movie has "performed consistently in ancillary markets and re-emerged as a streaming hit this year," ranking in the five most-viewed movies on Netflix. Between that and advancements in technology, which mean The Last Witch Hunter 2 can be made for less, Lionsgate taking a gamble on a movie that they'll likely profit greatly from on streaming does make sense.
Adam Fogelson, chair of Lionsgate's Motion Picture Group said, "The Last Witch Hunter has grown since its theatrical release into a global fan favorite, with audiences continuing to discover and re-watch it across every platform over the past decade."
"That enduring enthusiasm made clear there is an appetite for more stories set in this world. Vin and I have partnered many times over the years, and he is a true force in our industry," he continued. "I’m thrilled to be reuniting with him as he returns to this iconic role, and excited by how advancements in filmmaking technology now allow us to economically deliver a sequel on an even more ambitious scale."
In The Last Witch Hunter, when a powerful coven aims to unleash a deadly plague on New York, an immortal witch hunter, a priest, and a young witch must thwart the lethal plan.
Lionsgate has yet to announce a release date for this sequel to The Last Witch Hunter.