The director of the year’s biggest horror hit says he has a “cool idea” for a sequel, but first, he’s working on a new ‘Texas Chainsaw‘ movie and building out a whole new universe.
Curry Barker recently confirmed that a sequel to the surprise smash ‘Obsession‘ is officially in the works. But in a longer talk about what he’s doing next, Barker says the follow-up to the $750,000 movie that made nearly $300 million (as of now) won’t follow the usual fast track in Hollywood.
Why Curry Barker Is Slowing Down the ‘Obsession’ Franchise
Barker told The Hollywood Reporter, “I don’t want to go straight into Obsession 2. I have such a cool idea for it that I won’t say. I’m not saying it has to be five, six years from now. But I think people would be just as excited for it if it came a little down the road.”
Related: ‘Obsession’: Why The Darker Original Ending Was Abandoned
The news comes as the writer-director-actor rides a huge wave of success. His low-budget horror film came out in May. It follows Bear, played by Michael Johnston, a young man who uses a cursed “One Wish Willow” to force his crush, Nikki, played by Inde Navarrette, to love him. Things quickly turn gory and tragic from there. The movie has made over $286 million worldwide and has become a real cultural moment.
Curry Barker’s Packed Schedule
Even though fans want another movie right away, Barker is thinking long term. He’s finishing up post-production on ‘Anything But Ghosts‘, which stars Aaron Paul and Bryce Dallas Howard. He also just got hired to write a new movie in ‘The Texas Chain Saw Massacre‘ series.
In case you missed it: Steven Spielberg Revealed What ‘Obsession’ And ‘Backrooms’ Got Right
“I wouldn’t be interested if I didn’t think I could find a way in that feels fresh and new, while still respecting the original,” Barker said about his Chainsaw reboot. That means his schedule is pretty full even with an ‘Obsession‘ sequel waiting in the wings.
‘Obsession 2’ Could Be an Anthology Shift, Not a Straight Continuation
Some fans worry a sequel could ruin the first movie’s brutal ending, where Nikki wakes up from her supernatural trance surrounded by her dead friends. But Barker’s idea for ‘Obsession 2’ sounds more like an anthology than a straight continuation.
He’s talked before about the franchise being like Black Mirror-style cautionary tales. “What really is exciting to me is maybe an anthology, like a one-hour episode,” he told Total Film. “Each episode is a different wish that goes completely off the rails.” That means each new chapter could follow someone else who finds a One Wish Willow.
So what happens to Nikki? Barker thinks she “probably goes to jail” for the triple homicide, even though she was under a curse. For now, her fate stays a mystery.
Producer James Harris told Variety that talks about the sequel’s timeline should start “sooner rather than later.” But Barker still cares more about quality than speed.
For now, the “Obsession Cinematic Universe” is alive and well, just taking a short break. Barker confirmed that Easter eggs for the first film are already hidden in ‘Anything But Ghosts‘, which takes place in the same world. “It’s a whirlwind and I’m trying to figure it out,” Barker said. “I just want to make sure that if we do it, it’s as good as the first one—or better.“
You might also want to read: Why ‘Obsession’ Director Wanted Nikki To Act Like A Jealous Girlfriend
