Of all the endless sequels Hollywood could greenlight… this one?
Lionsgate, in what can only be described as an act of cinematic witchcraft, is reportedly moving forward with a sequel to the much-hated “The Last Witch Hunter.”
Yes, that “Last Witch Hunter”—the Vin Diesel fantasy dud from 2015. Diesel is set to return as Kaulder, the immortal witch hunter nobody asked for, and get this, Michael Caine is allegedly attached to reprise his role as Dolan, which at this point feels like contractual blackmail more than artistic choice.
So, let me get this straight, Sir Michael Caine, 92, who officially retired in 2023, is coming out of retirement for a ‘Last Witch Hunter’ sequel? You absolutely cannot make this up. Somebody should alert Christopher Nolan about this.
The studio is spinning this as part of their grand strategy to “grow IP” with “sci-fi fantasy spectacle elements,” which is a nice way of saying we own this thing and might as well squeeze it for whatever it’s worth.
The original grossed $130M worldwide—a number that looks respectable until you remember how bloated the budget was ($90M+) and how quickly it vanished from theaters. Its supposed “resurgence” on Netflix, where it was a highly watched title, might say more about the algorithm than genuine fan demand.
The film was widely panned on release (18 on Rotten Tomatoes, The 34 on Metacritic). Seriously—has anyone ever met a person who recommended “The Last Witch Hunter” to them? This sequel push feels less like audience demand and more like Lionsgate chasing a fluke Netflix spike, which is hardly the same thing as genuine theatrical popularity.
Advances in VFX and “budget efficiency” are being cited as reasons the sequel could work this time. Of course, the same logic could be applied to making another “Green Lantern.” Some movies should just stay buried.