The legendary horror director James Wan‘s upcoming film Malignant could become a whole horror film franchise, as Wan himself says. The film is all set to release in theaters and on HBO Max simultaneously on September 10. The film is a hard R-rated thriller. Malignant stars Annabelle Wallis, Maddie Hasson, George Young, Michole Briana White, Jake Abel, Jacqueline McKenzie, and McKenna Grace.
Wan’s first attempt at a blockbuster horror film was the acclaimed 2004 film Saw, he made Dead Silence and Insidious with Leigh Whannell, and after he made one of the best horror films ever, and it was the 2013 film The Conjuring.
Wan said in an interview with GamesRadar, that Malignant could become a beginning of a film franchise, but he only “set out to just make this movie,” and then he also acknowledged that successful movies demand a sequel. Check out the full quote by Wan below:
“Ultimately anything can become a franchise. They will find a way. Look at Saw. When Leigh Whannell and I made Saw, we were like, “Jigsaw gets up and he shuts the door. The end.” Then when the movie did so well, the producers and studio were like, “Guys, we have to make another one.”
So, yes, Malignant could become a franchise, but I set out to just make this movie. Having said that, when I make one film, I do think of a bigger umbrella story. I’m always just telling a section of this bigger story.”
James Wan has a penchant for making franchises with movies like Saw which has eight sequels now, and Insidious which has 3 sequels now with Insidious 5 in post-production. Wan is currently working on the DC superhero film Aquaman‘s sequel. With Wan’s history, Malignant could very well become a franchise and Malignant’s story will unfold in theaters and on HBO Max on September 10.