While Liam O’Donnell keeps his titilating concept for The Last Savage on ice, he is reportedly back on deck to pen the script for Skylines, the third and latest entry into the trilogy that launched in 2010 from directors Colin and Greg Strause. As Screendaily notes, actress Lindsey Morgan (Summertime, CW series The 100) will reprise the outro role of Rose from Beyond Skyline, which took festivals by storm and became a widely-received hit.
Adding a raft of Indonesian screen talent to its cast including nominal action performers, actors Iko Uwais and Yayan Ruhian, O’Donnell advanced to directing the 2017 sequel which its main story follow synonymously in its timeline with the first film, focusing on a cop who battles his way with survivors to reunite with his son and save a young girl birthed with rapid aging and gifted as the key to mankind’s survival; The sequel aims to continue her character, Rose who will lead the charge against the brain-snatching aliens following their attempted invasion of Earth in the first two films.
Skylines centres on Captain Rose Corley, a human with extraterrestrial superpowers that mean she is the only person powerful enough to vanquish the marauders.
When a virus threatens to turn earth-dwelling friendly alien hybrids against humans, Corley assembles an elite team of mercenaries on a mission to the alien world to save humanity.
As Screendaily noted on Saturday, Highland Film Group has international rights to Skylines and is shopping the film among its slate of titles. O’Donnell will also produce with Matthew Chausse and the Strause brothers. Executive producing are the gang at XYZ Films who rep North America and Chinese rights.
There’s no confirmation on whether or not the new film will ascertain similar screenfighting talent to couple with the sci-fi format on hand, although I’m hard pressed to believe the production would avoid it. Beyond Skyline pretty much put the franchise on the map for those who haven’t seen the first film, and rather auspiciously to the credit of the Indonesian film industry which has grown quite well for itself since 2012.
More to the matter is what may lie ahead with Morgan back on the franchise and how her character will contribute. O’Donnell’s handling of the sequel was more than exceptional in the eyes of critics as one of the most amply-entertaining alien invasion thriller to date, and now the goal is to top that. Also, the report didn’t indicate who was directing so my guess is a new director is being sought after – in which case, do any of you have any ideas on who should succeed O’Donnell in the director’s chair?
Comment below and share your ideas!