Departed Sequel(s)

[pemberly]

Looks like they're cashing in...

"Departed" on way to afterlife

By Borys Kit2 hours

With a massive bloodletting at the climax of "The Departed" that left almost no one standing, you'd think it would be hard to make a sequel. A domestic take of $125.2 million is making Warner Bros. Pictures and director Martin Scorsese think otherwise.

Talks are under way to put together a sequel to the crime thriller, which has garnered five Academy Award nominations and is Scorsese's biggest boxoffice hit in a career that spans more than four decades.

Sources say that "Departed" writer William Monahan is working on a take that would involve Dignam, the temperamental foul-mouthed cop played by Mark Wahlberg, who received an Oscar nomination for the role, and introduce a new character to be played by Robert De Niro. Sources caution that Scorsese would need to approve any take before development could move forward.

A prequel is not being ruled out, either. "Departed" is an adaptation of the Hong Kong pic "Infernal Affairs," to which Warners acquired the rights in 2003. The studio also had option rights to the movie's two sequels. It is unclear if this new movie would fall under that agreement, because Monahan's script could end up being an original story rather than an adaptation.

The acclaimed Chinese movies are regarded as "The Godfather" of Asian cinema, with the 2003 sequel being a prequel, much like "The Godfather 2." The third movie combined elements of the first two movies.

Warners declined comment.

Reuters/Hollywood Reporter

reposted from yahoo news: link

[yearning]

Too much of a good thing will not be good anymore.

[Southern Crane]

A domestic take of $125.2 million is making Warner Bros. Pictures and director Martin Scorsese think otherwise.

Talks are under way to put together a sequel to the crime thriller, which has garnered five Academy Award nominations and is Scorsese's biggest boxoffice hit in a career that spans more than four decades.

News of sequels aside, I'm surprised to hear this. I didn't know the film did that well or was such a hit for Scorsese. I mean, I saw it when it was first released. It was good but not great. Then I heard nothing more about it. I just assumed it did 'alright' and everyone was just moving on. Didn't know it did so well. Nothing can beat the original series, though, with the second film being the best among them imo..

[yearning]

News of sequels aside, I'm surprised to hear this. I didn't know the film did that well or was such a hit for Scorsese. I mean, I saw it when it was first released. It was good but not great. Then I heard nothing more about it. I just assumed it did 'alright' and everyone was just moving on. Didn't know it did so well. Nothing can beat the original series, though, with the second film being the best among them imo..

I agree too, but most people I've talked to rate the second as the worst, and the first as the best.

[pemberly]

i liked the first best, 2nd second, 3rd...so freakishily horrible!!!! i think that may be the only chinese movie that i started that i could not bring myself to finish. it still brings bad memories.

i thought the second infernal affairs was pretty good, especially carina lau's role. i think a departed sequel would be an original story, though, instead of a remake of any of the infernal affairs sequels.

[Southern Crane]

What I liked about the second one was it's gritty, gangland feel. It was raw and unpretentious. Not that the first one is. I just thought the second one overall was a bit better. But yeah, they would've been better off leaving the third one on the cutting room floor.

The Departed prequel will likely be more original but no less violent than the IA prequel, which is quite violent. But I think that originality -- a 'departure' (no pun intended ) from the original series -- is what's going to be the film's undoing. Afterall, the first (Scorses' most successful film to date) relies very heavily on Andy Lau's series. The prequel won't.

[Qin_Shu_Bao]

I dunno. I mean, will a sequel really be a good idea? Usually the first one is the best.

[Jampack200]

No. No Sequel

[darknight123]

Thought I only knew the version was the one from Leo Dicp and Any Lau's version.

[Wild-Fire]

Interesting to see a Sequels though.