In an article about Universal giving producer Marc Platt a five-year extension, Variety has confirmed that Platt has begun work on a sequel to Wanted with director Timur Bekmambetov and writers Michael Brandt and Derek Haas.  Brandt and Haas are also working with Bekmambetov on an adaptation of Christian Gossett’s science fiction graphic novel The Red Star for Universal (see “The Red Star Optioned”).

Work on Wanted 2 is proceeding quickly even though it presents some difficulties--several of main characters including Angelina Jolie ended up dead in the first film.  Wanted, which is based on the Top Cow mini-series by Mark Millar and J.G. Jones and cost an estimated $75 million to produce, has earned $112 million domestically in just two weeks and is over $200 million worldwide—the kind of success that typically ensures a sequel.