Universal Pictures has confirmed they are aiming to make sequels from two of its biggest summer hits, the raunchy R-rated comedy Ted and the action-thriller spin-off The Bourne Legacy. NBC Universal CEO Steve Burke spoke at the 2012 Media, Communications & Technology conference in Los Angeles earlier today, where he revealed that the film division needs, “franchises and animation” to achieve a level of stability.
That’s not exactly news, as Universal has been having a rocky ride, with numerous attempts to launch franchises (such as The Wolfman) flopping, which has resulted in numerous changes in leadership at the studio. They already have a popular franchise in The Fast and the Furious, with the latest installment, The Fast and the Furious 6, currently in production and set for release next summer.
The executive also revealed that fans should expect a sequel to The Bourne Legacy, which has taken in over $180 million worldwide in just over a month. That’s not a massive hit, particularly compared to earlier Bourne movies, but it should have long legs on home video, and there are already rumours that Universal is trying to woo Matt Damon back to the franchise.
Ted, directed by Family Guy creator Seth MacFarlane, was the biggest surprise hit this summer, taking in a whopping $394 million worldwide. Steve Burke revealed that they want to get a sequel going, “as soon as we can.” Back in July, Seth MacFarlane said he would be open to making a sequel, although it isn’t known if he is working on the screenplay yet.
As for the animation side of the studio, they eventually want to release two animated movies per year, as opposed to their current model of one film every 18 months. (Source: THR)
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