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Why Followed Demands A Sequel: New Details Hint Future Plans For Found Footage Franchise

Director Antoine Le recently left clues for where the Followed franchise is headed. We follow the breadcrumbs and speculate on the inevitable future sequel to the new horror hit.
Followed Sequel?

Early Developments on Followed 2?

Antoine Le revealed these intriguing details about his plans for the future of Followed in our interview.

Now, one thing that we still are trying to figure out is whether or not we should make this in the same style as the first one, which is found footage. Or should we do more of a traditional filmmaking with a found footage element or vlogging element. That’s one of the biggest questions that were still trying to navigate through. But a lot of other questions will be addressed.

A big question when viewers watch the first film is “Hey, where do ghosts come from, what is this, what is that, what happened?” Hopefully in the sequel, we will be able to flesh things out and let you see that there is a bigger universe in this world, where this Followed thing takes place, rather than what they have just seen.

So what the audience will be able to see from the first Followed is that it’s just the tip of the iceberg. There’s more out there that needed to be expanded. And again, we’re still conceptualizing it within the team so hopefully, we’ll be able to let you guys know something else. 

This has several fascinating implications for the Followed franchise. If Followed II can find a way to blend traditional cinematography with screen life, it could potentially create a subgenre within the screen life subgenre.

To the best of my knowledge, this would be an unprecedented direction to take a horror movie. Experimenting with the confines of screen life worked wonders for the first film, so I can only imagine what kind of unique frights further experimentation could conjure up.

Story Speculation For the Followed Sequel

While the behind the scenes aspects of Followed II are promising, it’s the story itself that has almost limitless possibilities. Followed directly sets up a sequel featuring DropTheMike’s return and encounter with his spiritual successor, TerribleTyler.

Followed Red Hallway

That story could follow DropTheMike tormenting his unwanted successor, or it could feature the two of them teaming up for DropTheMike’s return to the world of vlogging.

RELATED: ‘FOLLOWED’ INTERVIEW: STAR MATTHEW SOLOMON TALKS HORROR ON SET, IMPROVISED SCENES, AND FRED THE HEAD

Then again, perhaps Followed II isn’t a direct sequel, but a new chapter in a an anthology. While DropTheMike’s return is inevitable in my opinion, it’s entirely possible that they save him for another installment later down the road. When you consider the inherent profitability of films in the screen life genre, along with Antoine Le’s comments about their plan to explore the larger universe that Followed is set in. It appears highly likely that multiple sequels or spin-offs will come out after Followed II.

The Paranormal Future of Followed is Bright

No matter what shape upcoming projects in the Followed universe take, one thing is certain: We’re going to get much deeper into the paranormal lore of this franchise.

The many ghosts and ghouls that haunt the Lennox Hotel are mysterious, and their origin and motivation remains shrouded in darkness. The mysterious origin and motivation behind the ghosts and ghouls of Lennox Hotel remain shrouded in mystery. While the backstory of certain spirits like David Olmos and the detective’s son are told, there are far more questions than answers regarding the spiritual creatures of the Followed universe.

followed movie

How does one become a ghost? Is there an afterlife or other dimension that they come from? Is it possible that DropTheMike ended up in the mythical other world after commencing the elevator ritual and never left? Can one communicate with the dead in this world? How does one escape a haunting?

Followed is one piece in a larger universe that’s (hopefully) just a few short years away. I can’t wait to explore it further, and to finally get more answers to the questions raised by the first film. The possibilities for expansive, gripping storytelling within this franchise are nearly endless.

It’s worth noting that The Conjuring universe is the arguably the most popular cinematic universe outside of Marvel and DC. it has grossed nearly two billion dollars at the box office in all, so there’s no doubt that an expanded Followed universe could work, at least in theory. If Antoine Le, Todd Klick and the whole Followed team play their cards right, they could create the next big thing in not only in screen life, but in the horror genre as a whole.

Followed logo

Stay tuned for updates on the Followed universe, and let us know what you would like to see in a sequel in the comments below or on our social media!

KEEP READING: FOLLOWED REVIEW: THE MOST IMPORTANT FOUND FOOTAGE FILM SINCE PARANORMAL ACTIVITY

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Corbin Shanklin

Corbin Shanklin

CJ Shanklin is a journalist. They have been writing & reporting in the entertainment industry for four years, but their best work is still ahead of them. Stay tuned for more stories for the fans, penned by a fan.