‘Ready Player Two’ Still Alive? Zak Penn Says He’s Currently Writing the Sequel

Apparently, “Ready Player Two” is still happening?

Speaking with The Direct, screenwriter Zak Penn, who penned the first film, revealed that he is currently writing the sequel. It’s easily the biggest update we’ve gotten on “Ready Player Two” in some time, suggesting the project hasn’t been quietly shelved after all.

The sequel would be based on Ernest Cline’s 2020 novel. It was in July 2020 that we first heard about Warner Bros.’ plans to make it happen, with the film expected to arrive in 2028. Technically, if a 2027 shoot happens, that date is still a possibility.

Then there’s Steven Spielberg. His involvement has been something of a question mark over the years, but that was cleared up in March 2024 when the filmmaker confirmed to Showbiz 411’s Roger Friedman that he would only produce “Ready Player Two” rather than direct it.

I really wish Spielberg would come back for this one. “Ready Player One” may not have the emotional weight of “Schindler’s List” or “Saving Private Ryan” but as a piece of cinematic engineering, it was damn-near impressive — a seamless fusion of live action and CG choreography. It’s a fair reminder that even Spielberg’s “minor” efforts tend to outclass most other blockbusters.

The original “Ready Player One” hit theaters on March 29, 2018. Set in a dystopian future where the virtual OASIS offered an escape from an increasingly bleak reality, it followed Tye Sheridan’s Wade Watts and his friends as they raced to take control of the digital world left behind by its eccentric creator, James Halliday (Mark Rylance).

“Ready Player One” was hardly a disappointment at the box office, either. Made for a reported $175M, Spielberg’s sci-fi adventure grossed $608M worldwide. Reviews were mostly positive, if hardly ecstatic. The film currently sits at 79% on Rotten Tomatoes and 64 on Metacritic, while IMDb users liked it much more, giving it a strong 7.4/10.

Whether “Ready Player Two” actually makes it to theaters remains a question mark. But for now, at least, it appears the sequel is still alive.