On Tuesday, Edgar Wright’s “The Running Man” held a private screening on the Paramount lot. It brought out a who’s who of filmmakers — Taika Waititi, Jordan Peele, Ti West, Joseph Kosinski, Barry Jenkins, JT Mollner, Phil Lord and Christopher Miller, Joe Dante, and Walter Hill.
As for what’s coming next for Wright after “The Running Man,” it’s anyone’s guess. It could be his “Barbarella” remake starring Sydney Sweeney, or the sequel his fans have been begging for, “Baby Driver 2.”
Last year, I reported that Wright was very close to putting the finishing touches on the script for the “Baby Driver” sequel, and that it could very well be his next film. The original grossed $227M against a $34M budget.
Now, speaking on the Discourse Podcast, Wright confirmed the long-suspected truth:
“There is a script for ‘Baby Driver 2.’ That is something that actually exists,” he said. “But most filmmaking depends on factors beyond you — timing, financing, who’s available. You’re not always completely in control of those things.”
So, there you have it: a “Baby Driver 2” script is ready. No word yet on whether the original cast — including lead Ansel Elgort — would be back for this one. Jon Bernthal is rumored to have a larger role. The original cast also included Jamie Foxx, Jon Hamm, Kevin Spacey, and Eiza Gonzalez.
I find Wright to be an incredibly talented visual filmmaker, but he also has this annoying penchant for infantilism and silliness. There’s a film-geek sensibility to his work that can sometimes rub one the wrong way.
With that being said, his best film is probably “Baby Driver” and its incredible use of practical effects (save for the absurdly over-the-top final stretch). Wright is coming off the worst-reviewed film of his career: 2019’s misbegotten “Last Night in Soho.” He still has his ardent fans who will go see whatever he does next; he’s built up this base of support with such films as “Hot Fuzz,” “Scott Pilgrim vs. the World,” and “Shaun of the Dead.”