Hackers 2 Being Actively Discussed By Original Director

Director Ian Softley says there have been discussions about making Hackers 2. Released in 1995, Softley’s cyberpunk-inspired Hackers starred a young Angelina Jolie as one of a crew of hip computer wizards trying to track down the creators of a destructive hack while themselves being pursued by the government, who suspect them of being responsible for the crime.

While Hackers was far from a hit upon release, grossing just $7.5 million on a reported budget of $20 million, the movie does retain a certain cult following thanks to its cool – if largely fanciful – depiction of the art of computer hacking. The years since the release of Hackers have of course seen the arrival of many an anti-heroic computer genius taking on the establishment, Rami Malek’s Elliot from USA’s acclaimed Mr. Robot standing as perhaps the supreme example of the hacker-as-rebel-hero trope. Among Mr. Robot’s many virtues was a commitment to portraying hacking as realistically as possible, a commitment the 1995 film Hackers did not share, as it seemed mostly interested in casting its attractive young actors in an appealing light while delivering a fun thrill ride.

25 years after Hackers introduced future superstar Jolie and the coolness of hacking to Gen X audiences, Softley is talking about making a long-delayed sequel/reboot. Speaking to Collider, the director said discussions about Hackers 2 have taken off amid the new tech reality of the world, with major issues like big data entering the public discourse, and the longing for tech-savvy heroes to take on such evil forces. He said:

“It was a much more simple landscape at the time, in 1995. It’s much more complex [now]. It’s much more dangerous that it would become outdated almost as soon as the film’s released. But there are certain cast members, certainly the guys who work with Chris Nolan, DNEG, they’re approached all the time about, ‘Why isn’t there [more Hackers]?’ And on the internet, on Twitter and social media, people are asking about that possibility. So, it’s being explored. But I don’t think any of us would want to do it unless we thought it was worthwhile to do. We wouldn’t do it as just a commercial exercise. But there has been interest, from kind of mainstream producers. So it’s something that’s being actively considered for the first time ever, really.”

Softley unfortunately would not go into much more detail about the discussions he’s had or the ideas he may he working on for a story, but he did throw out a Knights of the Round Table analogy, suggesting Hackers 2 could involve the original cast being brought back to once again serve as gallant heroes slaying the dragons of big tech. If a truly evil villain is needed, the tech world of today certainly offers up plenty of figures like Mark Zuckerberg who could serve as models.

The biggest issue with assembling the original Hackers cast for a sequel or soft reboot would obviously be convincing Jolie, who is now a mega-star who commands a massive salary. Coming up with a story on the other hand should not be such a daunting task, considering all the timely tech-related issues that could be tackled. Of course, Hackers 2 would have to endeavor to be more authentic than the original, as audiences are now much more savvy about tech than they were in 1995. Simply portraying hackers as cool kids with mad keyboard skills would no longer fly in 2020, with things like Mr. Robot taking on a prominent place in the culture, and bringing to light the realities of the world of hacking. Ultimately, it’s fair to ask if the original Hackers even has enough of a following to make a movie reboot commercially viable (notwithstanding a few prominent fans like Macaulay Culkin). Perhaps a Hackers 2 streaming movie would make more sense, though attracting Jolie to such a project would seem even more of a long-shot.

Source: Collider

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