Carry-On 2 Gets Disappointing Update From Director Despite Landing On Netflix’s All-Time Viewership Record

Carry-On, a high-stakes thriller starring Taron Egerton and directed by Jaume Collet-Serra, gets a disappointing sequel update. The Netflix movie follows Ethan, a TSA Agent at LAX (Egerton) who is blackmailed by a mysterious traveler (Jason Bateman) into allowing a dangerous package onto a Christmas Eve flight. The film was a quick success, becoming Netflix’s biggest opening of 2024, with 42 million views in its first week. Carry-On also earned positive reviews and an 88% score on Rotten Tomatoes. After a long period on the streaming charts, the film cracked the coveted viewership list, becoming Netflix’s fifth most-viewed movie of all time.

In a recent interview with Variety, Collet-Serra and producer Dylan Clark spoke about the film’s success and the possibility of a sequel. Although the director revealed that there are no current plans for a continuation, the pair didn’t completely rule out the chance of revisiting the Carry-On universe. Check out their full comments:

COLLET-SERRA: We don’t have any plans for a sequel. But if audiences wanted a sequel, families wanted a sequel and if we had an idea that would spark and live up to the original, maybe we would do something. But right now, there are no plans.

CLARK: There are no plans, but it’s fun to quietly talk about these things. These characters are great. Look at Danielle Deadwyler’s character, [detective Elena Cole], you can see a world in which there’s a movie about her.

What This Means For Carry-On

A Sequel Could Still Happen

Collet-Serra and Clark’s comments suggest that while there’s no immediate motivation for a sequel, the idea is not completely off the table. Carry-On‘s ending left room for expansion, with unresolved threads and mysterious characters that could easily set up the stage for further exploration. As Clark suggested, the focus could be geared toward Danielle Deadwyler’s Detective Cole, who has garnered public interest as a character capable of leading a spinoff. However, there are many other avenues the potential sequel could take, such as the blue-haired woman who first handed Ethan the earpiece, and later on, the parachute.

Her backstory is a loose end, and it is possible she was another innocent forced to participate in The Traveler’s scheme. On the other hand, The Traveler’s backstory could also serve as a successful prequel since his real identity was never revealed. Another option could also focus on Ethan’s new job as a police officer, which is confirmed at the end as he places his police badge in the tray when he goes through airport security. There are many loose ends and open-ended stories for Carry-On‘s sequel to focus on, but as Collet-Serra said, the potential for a sequel depends on streaming numbers and audience reactions.

Additionally, Egerton has said that he would also be interested in participating in a sequel.

With the film ranking among Netflix’s all-time Top 5 most-viewed movies, it’s clear that there’s a large audience interested in the story, and this level of success often influences Netflix’s decision-making process. If audiences continue to clamor for more, the creative team might be persuaded to bring more stories in Carry-On‘s universe to the screens. Additionally, Egerton has said that he would also be interested in participating in a sequel.

Our Take On Carry-On’s Sequel Prospects

The Future of Carry-On Remains Uncertain Yet Positive

While the lack of formal plans for a Carry-On sequel may disappoint viewers, the creative team’s openness to the idea gives reason for hope. Netflix’s track record of approving sequels to successful productions could play a factor in the final decision, and since audiences invested in the story, a sequel could be announced in the future. Whether or not Carry-On gets a follow-up, the film has already secured its place as one of Netflix’s most successful thrillers. For now, viewers can rewatch Netflix’s biggest 2024 movie, hopefully gearing up conversations and ideas within the creative team that will result in a worthy continuation.

Source: Variety.