Summary
- 20th Century Studios is rebooting The Maze Runner franchise with a new adaptation in the works.
- The movie is being described as a “sort of continuation” of the original trilogy with previous director Wes Ball onboard as a producer.
- Transcendence scribe Jack Paglen is in talks to write the script for the reboot.
Nearly 10 years after the previous adaptation trilogy first launched, 20th Century Studios is developing a reboot of The Maze Runner franchise. James Dashner’s dystopian YA novels first made their way to the screen with the 2014 movie of the same name, led by Dylan O’Brien as a teenage boy who wakes up with no memory inside a grass area known as the Glave, following him as he works with the others there to escape the vast maze surrounding them and learn who is behind their imprisonment. Though garnering mixed reviews from critics, the trilogy was generally a financial hit, grossing a combined $949 million against its combined $157 million production budget.
The Hollywood Reporter has brought word that the studio has entered the early stages of development on The Maze Runner reboot. The new adaptation is said to be in talks with Transcendence scribe Jack Paglen to write the script for the movie, with original director Wes Ball returning as a producer alongside original trilogy producers Ellen Goldsmith-Vein and Lee Stollman of Gotham Group and Wyck Godfrey and Marty Bowen of Temple Hill. Sources report that the movie will neither be a redo or sequel to the original trilogy, but instead be a “sort of continuation” that will also feature “the elements that made the first movie connect with its audience.”
Can The Maze Runner Reboot Continue The Recent YA Resurgence?
The announcement of a Maze Runner reboot may come as a surprise to some, considering the original trilogy of movies ended in 2018, bringing the new project just under a decade after its finale. However, it does come at a time in which the YA genre is enjoying something of a resurgence on both the big and small screens, with studios looking to recapture the success they enjoyed with the likes of the Harry Potter and Twilight franchises.
Related
8 Biggest Franchise Questions Maze Runner 4 Can Answer
While the Maze Runner movie trilogy already ended, Maze Runner 4 could use the prequel books to answer many franchise questions left unanswered.
This trend began with the revival of the Hunger Games franchise in the form of the adaptation of Suzanne Collins’ prequel novel, The Ballad of Songbirds and Snakes, and Disney+’s reboot of the Percy Jackson franchise into a TV series. Though garnering the lowest reviews of the dystopian series, The Ballad of Songbirds and Snakes was a financial hit, grossing over $337 million against its $100 million production budget, while Percy Jackson scored much better reviews from critics than its 2010 and 2013 movie predecessors. The latter’s success even earned a season 2 renewal from the streamer, with author Rick Riordan recently confirming that filming is set to begin in Fall 2024.
In addition to The Maze Runner reboot, Warner Bros. is currently developing a reboot of the Harry Potter franchise for Max, while Netflix is teaming with Greta Gerwig for a new Chronicles of Narnia adaptation. Given 20th Century Studios and Disney look to be mounting Maze Runner for a theatrical release, its potential success will be vital to whether this trend of the YA genre’s resurgence will continue with other franchises. However, with Ball onboard as a producer and gearing up for his own franchise revival in Kingdom of the Planet of the Apes, which has seen large acclaim in its early reactions, it looks to be starting on good footing.
Source: THR
The Maze Runner
Conceived as a book series by author James Dashner, The Maze Runner is a sci-fi multimedia franchise that gained mainstream popularity after the release of its first of three films. The series focuses on a group of young men trapped in a maze with no knowledge of life outside their strange prison. The survivors, led by protagonist Thomas, attempt to piece together their shattered memories and find a way out of the towering maze.
Created by
James Dashner
Cast
Dylan O’Brien
, Kaya Scodelario
, Thomas Brodie-Sangster
, will poulter
, Patricia Clarkson
, Giancarlo Esposito
, Aidan Gillen
, Ki Hong Lee
, Barry Pepper
, Walton Goggins
, Nathalie Emmanuel
Character(s)
Thomas (Maze Runner)
, Teresa (Maze Runner)
, Newt (Maze Runner)
, Minho (Maze Runner)
, Frypan (Maze Runner)
, Ava Paige