We all know Robert Rodriguez is one of those guys who likes to plan out about 100 projects before even one of them is fully ready to go. Not unlike Guillermo del Toro, the man enjoys having multiple plates spinning, and it often seems like he just flies by the seat of his pants when it comes to what’s immediately next on his agenda. (Although he certainly always has time for a SPY KIDS movie.) It can be frustrating to cover him, but one can’t help but respect his ambition.
It was recently confirmed that Rodriguez has settled on his very next film: A live-action film version of Frank Frazetta’s FIRE & ICE, which we just saw some concept art for last week. In an interview with The Playlist, Rodriguez states that this is what has his foremost attention. “‘Fire and Ice,’ that one’s the one that’s going to go for sure the first half of next year,” he told the site.
But what else is on the schedule? For years now, Rodriguez has been attempting to mount a sequel to SIN CITY, although it’s always seemed like nothing’s been able to gel. This hasn’t deterred the director, who also plans on making a sequel to his (modestly successful) 2010 grindhouse effort MACHETE. So which film will get the call first? To answer that, Rodriguez laid out the logistics of his new company, Quick Draw Productions:
“Our new company’s a little strange in that, usually, you’ve got somebody with a script and they’re trying to get the financing. Our company is the other way around. We’ve got the financing, we’re just waiting for the script. So the focus is where it should be. You’re not worrying about the money, you’re just making sure the script’s where it should be. So whichever one has the script ready to go first. ‘Sin City’ has so many effects, conceivably you could shoot ‘Machete 2’ after and it could still come out before ‘Sin City 2.’ So how the distribution goes, I’m not sure, but they might just end up shooting around the same time.”
Rodiriguez later reiterated that last bit: “They might just shoot back-to-back or maybe at the same time.”
Rodriguez is also working on bringing HEAVY METAL back in a live-action incarnation.
It sure must be a luxury to have that much independent control of your own filmmaking future. Here’s my issue as far as this development: Do we really need SIN CITY 2 or MACHETE 2? I know each flick has its admirers, but neither is so beloved that an encore feels like a must. Am I wrong? Weigh in below.
(It should be noted that Rodriguez has said he wants MACHETE part 3 to take place in outer space. I guess I’d watch that…)
Frequent Rodriguez collaborator, Jessica Alba