But Heat 2 also raises a question, and it doesn’t really have anything to do with Heat 2 itself? Specifically, what other excellent crime thrillers seem rife with potential for a continuation? Let’s dive in.
5) The Talented Mr. Ripley
image courtesy of paramount pictures
Patricia Highsmith wrote a total of five books featuring psychopathic con artist Tom Ripley, all released between 1955 and 1991. The first three of them have been adapted for the big screen, two of them twice. One of the books that has been adapted twice was the first one, The Talented Mr. Ripley, which was adapted as both Purple Noon in 1960 and as what is undoubtedly the most popular of the adaptations, which is the 1999 version with Matt Damon. That’s the one that could have always used a sequel.
And, the thing is, even though it’s been 27 years, a sequel to The Talented Mr. Ripley could still be made today. It wouldn’t even be necessary to recast. We could catch up with Tom after several decades and see how he’s doing. Has the weight of killing Dickie, Freddie, and Peter caught up with him or does he not care? Has he blown through the money left him by Dickie’s father? Those are questions worth answering.
Stream The Talented Mr. Ripley on Netflix.
4) The Nice Guys
image courtesy of warner bros. pictures
Sure, we’re playing fast and loose with the word “Thriller” here, but Shane Black’s The Nice Guyswas just such a fantastic potential franchise starter that it would be a shame not to include it. Anyway, the central mystery was compelling, and how different is compelling from thrilling, anyway?
Sadly, The Nice Guys underperformed at the box office, even though it was the best film of 2016’s summer movie season. But it has developed a following, all of whom have recognized the sterling chemistry between Ryan Gosling and Russell Crowe, so who’s to say a sequel couldn’t outperform the original?
3) L.A. Confidential
image courtesy of warner bros.
James Ellroy’s layered, twisty neo-noir classic novel L.A. Confidential genuinely couldn’t have been adapted better than it was by Curtis Hanson in 1997. It was an Oscar darling, a huge financial success, and did wonders for the career trajectories of Guy Pearce and Russell Crowe. And, while it works as a one-off, it also could certainly have led into a sequel.
L.A. Confidential is already part of a series. Specifically, Ellroy’s L.A. Quartet. That leaves three other stories that could fit into the world director Hanson and writer Brian Helgeland created. The Black Dahlia has been adapted, but that was more its own separate thing. If the behind-the-scenes talent (save for the late Hanson) and the combination of Pearce and Crowe could all get back together it could be great. Granted, Crowe’s Bud White was exclusive to L.A. Confidential and Pearce’s Exley was only in that book and White Jazz, but there could always be reworkings to make Jazz or even The Black Dahlia or The Big Nowhere work as continuations of Hanson’s classic. The odd thing is, this one was supposed to happen, and with Chadwick Boseman, yet Warner Bros. passed.
Stream L.A. Confidential on Prime Video.
2) Point Break
Image Courtesy of 20th Century Studios
Granted, the high octane and purely enjoyable Point Breakhas its narrative wrapped up with a nice little bow, brah. And, sadly, Patrick Swayze has since left us.
But that still leaves Keanu Reeves’ Johnny Utah. Utah plays like a Jack Reacher-type character, anyway, and it’s not as if the only group he could infiltrate would be surfers. Reeves is still a white-hot commodity, and even if they are making a John Wick: Chapter 5 they can’t make them forever (well, maybe they could). It would be neat to see an older, wiser Utah back in action. Maybe he even ended up with Lori Petty’s Tyler.
Stream Point Break on Hulu.
1) Wrath of Man
image courtesy of metro-goldwyn-mayer pictures
Like Point Break, Guy Ritchie’s Wrath of Man is a self-contained narrative. But, also like Point Break, its protagonist doesn’t feel as though he has to be relegated to just this one narrative, even if it is an incredibly personal narrative.
Jason Statham is great for a franchise, and his H is one of the most engrossing characters he ever played. Wrath of Man is sorely underrated, with style and a compelling non-linear narrative. It’s doubtful Ritchie and Statham will ever stop collaborating, but it would be great if one of those had H breaking up another heist ring.
Stream Wrath of Man on Netflix.
Which sequel would you most like to see? Leave a comment below and join the conversation now in the ComicBook Forum!
