Red is a series of American action comedy films that took inspiration from a comic-book series, Red. This series was created by Cully Hamner and Warren Ellis and published by Homage, which is the DC Comics imprint. The famous film stars Bruce Willis, Morgan Freeman, Marie-Louise Parker, John Malkovich, Karl Urban, and Helen Mirren play the cast of the series which consists of two movies as it stands.
Interestingly, the name “Red” is apparently drawn from the status, designation, and person of the protagonist Agent Frank Moses, who is “Retired, Extremely Dangerous”.
What is Red About?
The first movie revolves around Francis “Frank” Moses, played by Bruce Willis, who is an ex-black-ops, CIA agent and reassembles his old team in order to track down and get a hold of a dangerous assassin who is scheming to kill him. He reunites with good ol’ Joe (Morgan Freeman), Marvin (John Malkovich), foxy Victoria (Helen Mirren), and Ivan (Brian Cox) to bring to light an enormous conspiracy that threatens their lives.
Aside from his old partners, agent Frank Moses also takes on board Sarah Ross (Marie-Louise Parker). She is a telephone operator at the agency that chaperones his retirement plan, and Frank has fallen in love with her voice. He convinces her that she must go with him because her life is in dire danger.
In the end, this group only has each other and it is their experience and expert training that will assist them in cracking this seemingly almost impossible mission.
How were Red and Red 2 Received?
The first film was a huge hit when it was released in 2010, with a successful worldwide take of $199 million. This meant that Red 2 would soon be filmed and released in 2013. However, the second film received more mixed reactions and reviews even though in addition to having a bigger budget, popular stars like Catherine Zeta-Jones and Lee Byung-hun had also joined the cast. Interestingly, the sequel still managed to bring in $148 million.
After the first two movies gained considerable profit and intrigue in the industry, the big question was whether or not a third film would eventually come out.
The Anticipation of Red 3 in 2013
It is quite note-worthy that when the studio was quite content and confident in the then-upcoming movie Red 2, it was confirmed that Red 3 would also soon be in progress in May 2013. The writers Jon and Erich Hoeber had even come onboard with producers Lorenzo Di Bonaventura and Mark Vahradian, to work on the third movie, and production was aimed at somewhere in 2014. However, none of this did happen in the end!
Red TV Series Expected in 2015
After Red 2 came out in 2013, it did not make as much of a positive impact as expected. It received mixed responses and did not bring in as much profits as the first movie. Later on, the writers had decided to focus on developing a Red TV series at NBC.
However, no cast was confirmed for this series, and there was no guarantee that stars like Bruce Willis or Helen Mirren would make a comeback. Sadly, the potential series did not move ahead either.
Cancelation News of Third Part
It has now been almost a decade since the last Red movie came out, and sadly for fans, there have been no other promises or plans for a possible third movie in the series since 2013.
Many believe that after the weak reception that was received by Red 2, there may never be a Red 3 in the future. And even if the franchise has a potential future, it will most likely be in the form of a television reboot. However, it is pretty obvious now that none of the original cast will return for any such future endeavors.
Why won’t Red 3 Take Place?
Everyone involved in the making of the two Red films seems to be quite occupied ever since they last came together to film. The Hoeber brothers played a huge role in the 2018 blockbuster The Meg. It was also announced that they had been brought on board to write The Spy – the Dave Bautista comedy. They also came to be associated with Paramount Animation’s Mighty Mouse film.
The stars too, have inevitably gone their own ways and taken on other projects. Helen Mirren has always been extremely sought after and played an important role in Fast and Furious 9. Bruce Willis took up a number of films as well. John Malkovich starred in Unsinkable and was also seen in Home Movie: The Princess Bride. Until the pandemic hit, Marie-Louise Parker was seen working more in theater than on-screen for a few years. She was also recently heard on Audible and appeared in the Netflix series Colin in Black & White.
Well, the point we’re trying to make is that everyone seems to have moved on in their personal and professional lives and are far too busy taking on many other things. Therefore, coming back to any future productions of Red would be most unlikely and uninteresting too.
The Bottom Line
Well, since it is pretty useless to hold out any hope of future sequels, there is only one thing that Red fans can do, and that is to cherish the movies that did make it to the big screen.
They may have come out a long time ago, and may not be the best out there either, but they still hold a very special place in the hearts and minds of those who watched and enjoyed them.
The movies have done a monumental job at being interesting, adventurous, and unique in wit and style. If you have been a true Red fan until today, we are certain that you will never stop being one for the rest of your life!
