Nicolas Cage is set to reprise his role in the world of Longlegs, but fans will have to wait a bit longer than expected. The follow-up to the 2024 crime thriller has officially been given a release date: January 14, 2028. That's nearly four years after the original film hit theaters, but the anticipation is already building.
The new movie, which is being developed as either a prequel or a spin-off, will see writer-director Osgood Perkins return to helm the project. Cage, despite his character's apparent demise in the first film, is confirmed to star, suggesting the story will explore events before or alongside the original. Paramount Pictures has acquired the rights from NEON, signaling a major push for the franchise.
In a landscape where fresh horror stories are dominating the box office—like the Oscar-winning Sinners and Zach Cregger's Weapons, which earned Amy Madigan a historic Best Supporting Actress win—Longlegs carved its own niche. The original film, made on a modest $10 million budget, grossed a staggering $125 million worldwide, with $74 million domestically and $51 million overseas. That kind of return makes a follow-up inevitable.
Perkins and Cage are joined by producers Brian Kavanaugh Jones, Chris Ferguson, and Dave Caplan. The project is one of several high-profile thrillers in development, including Oscar Isaac to Lead Martin Scorsese's Untitled Vegas Crime Thriller for Netflix and Brendan Fraser Blasts Off in David S. Goyer's Sci-Fi Thriller 'Starman'.
The announcement comes as horror continues to prove its box office might. Longlegs capitalized on the genre's ability to create visceral fear with minimal resources, and its success has sparked a wave of similar projects. For fans of the original, the wait until 2028 may feel like an eternity, but the promise of more Cage and Perkins collaboration is worth the patience.
While details about the plot remain under wraps, the involvement of Cage and Perkins ensures a return to the eerie, unsettling tone that made Longlegs a standout. The film is expected to delve deeper into the mythology of the first movie, possibly exploring the origins of Cage's character or introducing new threats. For now, fans can revisit the original or check out 6 Near-Perfect Thrillers from the Last 6 Years That Almost Hit the Mark to tide them over.
As the entertainment world gears up for a packed slate of releases, the Longlegs follow-up stands out as one of the most anticipated. With a release date set for early 2028, it's a long wait, but if the first film is any indication, it will be worth every second.
