It’s safe to say that leading up to its release, cyberpunk fans had high hopes for Robert Rodriguez’s Alita: Battle Angel. Adapted from the 1990s Japanese manga series Battle Angel Alita, the film had the backing of some Hollywood legends (namely, James Cameron), and despite being stuck in development hell for years, Rodriguez managed to finish the project just in time for a Valentine’s Day release. However, despite its star-studded cast (including such big names as Christoph Waltz, Mahershala Ali and Jennifer Connelly), Alita wasn’t able to rise through the box office ladder to success.
While the action scenes and visual effects received praise, the storytelling and screenplay were criticized by fans and critics alike. Domestically, the film only managed to gross $85 million and change, and combined with the international box office totals, the final tally sits at just north of $400 million.
Although this might seem impressive on its own, analysts have pegged the break-even point at half a billion, which would explain why 20th Century Fox hasn’t greenlit a sequel. Still, diehard fans are holding out hope that they’ll see the titular cyborg on the big screen again and honestly, we’re right there with them.
As CinemaBlend reports, a Change.org petition has been circulating around the web and has racked up over 64,000 signatures so far, putting it within spitting distance of its goal of 75,000. Of course, as we’ve explained in the past, petitions don’t tend to incite much change on their own, but they can certainly stand as a way to measure public interest. Both Rodriguez and Cameron have hinted at sequels when promoting the first film and with actress Rosa Salazar (who played Alita) campaigning for a sequel as well, there’s always a chance that Fox will change their mind.
If you’d like to support the franchise (or if you haven’t checked out Alita: Battle Angel for yourself yet), you can pick up a digital or Blu-Ray copy. And as always, we’ll be sure to keep you updated on any news regarding a potential sequel should it surface.
