Despite disappointing box office numbers, Alita: Battle Angel has a dedicated online following, which has enthusiastically campaigned to reinforce the prospects of a sequel. And now that Disney’s acquired 20th Century Fox and the rights to its numerous franchises, the rumor mill is brimming with reports that the House of Mouse is looking to develop a follow-up flick or a live-action Disney+ series, which really isn’t too hard to believe.
After all, even if the execs argue that the original 2019 film by Robert Rodriguez and James Cameron failed to live up to the hype, it’s hardly the movie’s fault. If anything, Alita has developed a following in spite of the marketing machine’s failure to generate enough buzz. So, at the very least, the story deserves another go.
Now, according to Small Screen, Disney will indeed continue to chronicle the life of the advanced cyborg, as several insiders have told the outlet that a prequel series is in development for the company’s streaming service. Though at this point, they don’t know if Cameron or Rodriguez will be involved with the project or not.
Alita: Battle Angel is one of the few Japanese manga adaptations that has been met with a positive reception. Even critics praised the film for its bold and ambitious approach. And many casual viewers absolutely fell in love with the seamlessly CGI-generated cyborg and her origins story.
As with any other report this early into the development of a project, we’d take this with a pinch of salt, but if Disney is indeed thinking of producing a prequel show, then it seems we’ll get to delve even deeper into the backstory of Alita and her time as a shock trooper within the United Republics of Mars.
