Based on the popular novel by Ernest Cline, Ready Player One was a massive success with both critics and audiences alike.
Telling the tale of teenager Wade Watts who heads into a virtual reality world to find the hidden key to a fortune, it was full of pop-culture references that pleased movie and video game buffs alike. Chances are, there are still people out there trying to spot every last one, as there are apparently over 110 Easter eggs in the movie, including cameos from Robocop, Jason Vorhees, and Back to the Future's Doc Brown! Did you get them all?
Ready Player One made over $582 million at the US box office and it stands amongst Steven Spielberg's best movies. The movie was a return to the crowd-pleasing blockbusters the director was known for before he turned to more serious fare with movies such as Lincoln and The Post. It captured the zeitgeist of 80s nostalgia, moved at a breakneck speed, and gave us one of the best video game movies yet put on screen, without being based on an actual video game.
A sequel was surely guaranteed, and after the release of Ready Player Two on the page, it looks as if this might finally happen.
What Do We Know About 'Ready Player Two?'
It is the book's author who has revealed the movie is in the early stages of the production process, although he has thus far given very little else away.
We can assume Tye Sheridan will be returning as Wade Watts, but this hasn't been officially announced yet. It is believed that Olivia Cooke will be back for the movie, however, as she has already revealed in interviews that she is contracted for sequels to the original movie.
As for the movie's plot, it is expected to follow the novel's narrative.
The story within the book takes place just 9 days after Wade has won ownership of OASIS, the virtual game world that he ventured into to claim his prize. Now the richest person in the world (step aside Elon Musk), Wade discovers another hidden secret left behind by the virtual world's creator, James Halliday, and it's an advanced technology that could revolutionize the way people interact with the simulation.
To say any more would be to spoil the story for people yet to read the novel, but needless to say, there are yet more pop culture mashups for people to find, including a shoutout to John Hughes's classic teen movie, The Breakfast Club.
There is no news yet on who the director might be. Spielberg is currently very busy on post-production work for West Side Story and is in the early production stages of his next movie, the religious drama, The Kidnapping of Edgardo Mortara. It might be that he has no time in his schedule to work on Ready Player Two, but after his sterling work on the original, fans will no doubt be hoping for his return.
Will 'Ready Player Two' Be Any Good?
Ready Player One was an amazing movie, so it might seem surprising that we are raising this question. But here's the thing. The novel has not gone down well with critics. It has been berated for verging on self-parody by some and others have been unhappy with the way it has shoehorned in its 80s movie references and assorted other Easter Eggs.
On dealing with the book's brutal reviews, the author has said:
"I remember Stephen King saying that all criticism is valid. If a book is hugely popular and people are reading it and putting it into their brain, it deserves to be criticised and analysed for its message.
"I feel blessed that this many people are paying attention. If they're hating on my stuff, at least they're consuming it and it's taking them away from their lives, even if it's to be embittered about how much others love it or hate it."
Of course, despite the negative reactions to the book thus far, there can still be room for improvement when translating it to the screen. Steven Spielberg has past form with this, as both Jaws and Jurassic Park were better than the novels those movies were based on. If he is directing the new movie, we can safely assume positive changes will be made. Even if he's not at the helm this time, compromises could be made between the author and director to ensure a better critical reaction, so it's too early to shout 'game over' just yet!
When Will 'Ready Player Two' Be Released?
Unsurprisingly, there is no release date yet. If Spielberg is involved with the movie, we can expect a late 2022/summer 2023 release date, as he is currently involved with his other movie projects. If he isn't helming the movie, we still cannot say for sure. As Cline has said it's in the very early stages of development, little more will be known until there is an official announcement from studio Warner Bros.
Without the ability to transport ourselves virtually or otherwise into the minds of the powers that be in Hollywood, that's all we can tell you at this stage. Still, the book is available to buy right now, so if you aren't worried about discovering plot spoilers, unplug yourself from your screens, and have a read of Cline's latest work to find out more.