The announcement in 2012 that director James Wan and screenwriter Leigh Whannell were planning a sequel to their runaway hit “Insidious” had fans clamoring for information. However, the film’s creators were not forthcoming, and as 2012 draws to a close, the studio, Wan, and Whannell are still keeping some information about the film top secret. Fortunately, a few pieces of information, which fans can use to anticipate the release in 2013, have leaked out about “Insidious Chapter 2.”
Dates
The first confirmation of the film was the release date: August 30, 2013. The decision about this this particular date- at the end of the summer blockbuster season-was probably based on the popularity of the first film and a growing anticipation for the sequel. This places significant pressure on the “Insidious Chapter 2” to perform well and win over fans from the typical big-budget summer films, and with the film’s small budget, the task is a challenge for the producers. No one is worried, however, because “Insidious” did very well, and the same expectations precede the sequel.
The Characters
Despite the cliffhanging ending, all of the characters from the first movie will return for the sequel. Patrick Wilson (Josh Lambert) and Rose Byrne (Renai Lambert) will be back to play Dalton’s parents, while Ty Simpkins will again assume their son’s character. The entire family is coming back, but Wan has not released the lineup for the demons in the film. That information will come when the film starts production in January 2013. One non-demonic character is slated to return, however. Elise Ranier, paranormal investigator and friend of Dalton’s grandmother, will be back again and played by actress Lin Shaye.
The Production Team
The announcement of the sequel hinged on Wan finding a good script to produce into a film. He wanted a script that would do the “Insidious” story line justice. Fortunately, he found just that in a screenplay written by Whannell, the creator of the original film. Producer Jason Blum, alongside Brian Kavenaugh-Jones, Oren Peli, and Steven Schneider, is also returning for the sequel, so fans can expect “Insidious Chapter 2” to easily live up to the reputation of the original.
The Plot
The most important part of the film that is being closely held is the plot. No confirmation or denials of the content for the upcoming sequel have come out. The Hollywood gossip sites and movie information outlets are clueless as to what “Insidious Chapter 2” will bring, and so are the industry bloggers. People can only speculate a few things. First, the return of the family may mean that Josh Lambert’s possessed body will be an important part of the plot. The return of Elise also calls her apparent death at the end of the movie into question. Without knowledge of the demonic villains, it is unknown whether the woman’s ghost who possessed Josh will continue with the menacing agenda she seems to have. Another option is that the entire family becomes trapped in the netherworld. Do Renai and Dalton go to rescue Josh? Is Elise really dead or trapped in the Further as well? No one affiliated with the film is revealing any details for now. As the movie begins production, details may leak out, or at least that’s what fans hope will happen.
Where the First Film Ended
The plot questions for the sequel only make sense if the ending of the original film is understood. Here are some spoilers for anyone who hasn’t watched “Insidious.” At the end of the film, Josh goes into the Further, or netherworld, to rescue his son who has been plagued by demons and is in a coma. Josh succeeds in getting Dalton out but does not make it out in time himself. Josh is caught and trapped, and his body is hijacked by a female ghostly creature who has been haunting Josh since childhood. The ghost kills Elise and sets herself to wreak havoc on the living world. In those closing scenes, it becomes apparent that the demons in the Further never wanted Dalton. Josh was their target for many years-since his childhood. The movie closes with the demons succeeding in the capture.
This hotly debated ending sets up the sequel nicely. Until the plot details of “Insidious Chapter 2” come out, however, where the characters will go next is anyone’s guess.
Leaving the fans completely in the dark about a much-anticipated film release is not a new practice. The tactic is regularly used to make the film’s release more anticipated. Don’t be surprised to find that the details of the second film are closely guarded during production as well. The trailers released as summer approaches may not give many details either. Unless the creators of “Insidious Chapter 2” change their minds soon, fans may just have to wait until August 30, 2013 to find out what happens to the Lamberts next.
