Set the timer to 90 seconds and grab the popcorn: A sequel to Talk to Me is already in the works. The Australian supernatural horror film made waves following its Sundance Film Festival premiere earlier this year, grabbing the attention of indie studio A24, which added the film to its genre collection (which includes the Ti West double feature X and Pearl). The Philippou brothers, who previously created action-horror videos on YouTube, delivered box office gold with their ghostly possession tale of netherworld spirits and the kids who conjure them.
Our own Julia Glassman gave the movie “4 out of 5 embalmed hands” for its exploration of grief and closure, echoing the enthusiasm of scores of moviegoers. Striking while the iron is hot, those behind Talk to Me have a follow-up in the works, and we’ve got the details below.
What is the title of the Talk to Me sequel?
When it comes to naming sequels, the powers-that-be have a golden opportunity to create something brief and memorable while connecting it to its predecessor. One could rhyme, as Breakin’ 2: Electric Boogaloo does, or title its sequel in the goofy spirit of the first, as Dumb and Dumber To does. The Talk to Me sequel is aptly titled Talk 2 Me.
Will the Philippou brothers return to direct Talk 2 Me?
Not only will the duo return to helm Talk 2 Me, the story will be written by Danny Philippou and Bill Hinzman. Deadline reports that the brothers are also developing a Street Fighter remake—one of a series of projects Legendary Entertainment has planned for the Capcom video game franchise—so their plate will be full for the foreseeable future.
What is the plot for Talk 2 Me?
For now, the plot is being kept under wraps. Talk to Me centers on grieving teen Mia (Sophie Wilde), who attends a seance with friends and frenemies on the anniversary of her mother’s death. Instead of a Ouija board, an embalmed hand serves as the portal between the world of the living and that of the dead; hold the hand and say the title phrase to conjure a random spirit in a supernatural Chatroulette, but don’t linger for too long or they’ll overstay their welcome.
Like the LeMarchand Configuration of the Hellraiser movies or the creepy Annabelle doll, the stiff, embalmed hand is a haunted artifact ripe with sequel and prequel potential; one could plausibly make a whole franchise based on the origins of the hand and whom it encounters from story to story. As it turns out, the Philippous have already developed a screenlife prequel based on the violent opening sequence of Talk to Me, in which another youth is seen under the influence of malevolent spirits long before the hand makes its way to Mia. Danny Philippou tells The Hollywood Reporter:
“We actually shot an entire Duckett prequel already. It’s told entirely through the perspective of mobile phones and social media, so maybe down the line we can release that. But also while writing the first film, you can’t help but write scenes for a second film. So there’s so many scenes. The mythology was so thick, and if A24 gave us the opportunity, we wouldn’t be able to resist. I feel like we’d jump at it.”
Is there a release window for Talk 2 Me?
No word yet on when Talk 2 Me will be released, but with movies like Paramount’s Smile and Scream VI, Warner Bros.’ Evil Dead Rise, and Universal’s M3GAN bringing in serious box office dollars, it’s clear that horror is one of the most lucrative genres out there and every studio is motivated to keep the nightmares coming fast and furious. It won’t be long.
(featured image: A24)
