On the eve the release of The Scorch Trails, fans of 20th Century Fox’s apocalyptic YA franchise will be pleased to note that the studio is making strides to future proof the franchise, with director Wes Ball now locked down to complete his take on the series and helm 2017’s trilogy-capper, Maze Runner: The Death Cure.
In what has become a rarity in Hollywood tentpole franchises, 20th Century Fox’s announcement – arriving by way of Variety – means that Wes Ball will have directed the entire big-screen adaptation of James Dashner’s popular literary series. It’s an oddity that the filmmaker couldn’t be happier about, lending him the opportunity to round out story arcs that will be seeded in this Friday’s The Scorch Trials.
“Ultimately our goal is to create an awesome three-movie trilogy,” Ball told Variety at Tuesday night’s red carpet premiere of “The Scorch Trials” in New York. “Not many people have done that and now I have the opportunity to do that. I am directing the third film and we’ve already been busy preparing and working on the final conclusion of this saga.”
Buoyed by a considerable box office haul in 2014, everything has seemingly fallen into place for Ball and his creative team. Not only has The Death Cure avoided the pitfall of being split into two separate features, but the fact that the filmmaker is being given the chance to bookend The Maze Runner franchise can only be good news, paving the way for a more cohesive cinematic adaptation. At least, that would be the idea.
The Scorch Trials is due to make a dash for theaters tomorrow, September 18, before Wes Ball brings the curtain down on 20th Century Fox’s YA series with Maze Runner: The Death Cure on February 17, 2017.
