Apocalypto 2: Star Promises a Sequel at 1 Million Likes, but Nothing Is Official

The short answer is no, an Apocalypto sequel has not been announced yet – not by Mel Gibson or the studio. The buzz around a sequel started when Apocalypto’s lead star Rudy Youngblood, who played Jaguar Paw in the film, recently posted an Instagram video promising fans that if his clip reached 1 million likes, Apocalypto 2 could happen. “I can’t say much, but if we get 1 million likes, Jaguar Paw will speak for you,” he says in the video. He also urged his followers to tag Netflix. According to Screen Realm, that post has now reached over 479,000 likes (in just a few days – now 6). But, as you may have guessed, Netflix has announced nothing, and Gibson has not responded to the request either. Even though Youngblood says, “1 million likes. I give you my word. You get Apocalypto .”

Mel Gibson’s 2006 film Apocalypto was an undeniably ambitious project that also became remarkably divisive. Whether you loved it or hated it, one thing is certain – Apocalypto, much like Gibson himself, has aged into something of a misunderstood masterpiece that appealed primarily to a very particular audience. That audience is still left wondering if there will ever be an Apocalypto 2.

Is Apocalypto 2 Happening? What Is Confirmed and What Isn’t

Confirmed: Youngblood has publicly asked fans to help him reach one million likes and to tag Netflix.

What’s not confirmed: a streaming or studio deal, a production schedule, a creative team, or Gibson’s involvement. In the clip, Youngblood himself says he “can’t say much,” and, if we’re honest, a million likes definitely not automatically put a sequel into production. Even if there was 10 million likes, there’d be a lot to consider before Apocalypto 2 would get the greenlight.

Beware of fake trailers. Several fan-made Apocalypto 2 trailers are circulating on YouTube for years now. One widely shared example was identified as fan-made, built from footage of unrelated films with an AI voiceover. No official trailer exists because no sequel has been announced.

Gibson, meanwhile, has wrapped filming The Resurrection of the Christ, which Lionsgate has dated for May 6, 2027 (Part One) and May 25, 2028 (Part Two).

Apocalypto 20 Years Later: Reviews, Box Office and Gibson’s Sequel Track Record

Now, nearly two decades after its original release (the 20th anniversary lands on December 8), the movie remains torn between praise for its visuals and performances and criticism for its historical inaccuracies and its disturbing and brutal content. It was still a commercial success, earning $120.7 million worldwide on a reported $40 million budget, according to Box Office Mojo.

With such a polarized response from critics and viewers alike (the film holds a 65% Tomatometer score on Rotten Tomatoes and a 79% Popcornmeter audience score), the possibility of revisiting that same world in a sequel seemed slim from the very beginning. And this is par for the course when it comes to Gibson as a filmmaker – throughout his decades-long career behind the camera, he has rarely returned to direct follow-ups to his movies.

From Braveheart to Hacksaw Ridge and beyond, Gibson tends to take on passion projects that stand entirely alone, for better or worse. With the exception of the upcoming The Resurrection of the Christ, the two-part follow-up to The Passion of the Christ, it’s safe to say Gibson isn’t big on sequels.

So, as the years roll on, making a sequel to Apocalypto seems more like an unlikely long shot than ever. But could there perhaps be an opportunity to reexamine Mayan culture in a new Mel Gibson film?

Was Apocalypto Accurate? The Debate Over Maya Representation

Back in 2006, our modern notion of “diversity” appeared much different for films. Even then, a movie like Apocalypto was nothing short of groundbreaking. Featuring a Native American and Indigenous Mexican cast with no spoken English (the dialogue is in Yucatec Maya), the film presented a rare, immersive picture of the Mayan culture.

While some critics saw the movie as “racist” – partly due to Gibson’s many blunders and partly over its portrayal of the Maya – the truth is that few films have attempted a pre-colonial Mesoamerican world on this scale, in an Indigenous language, quite like Apocalypto.

Was it violent? Sure, but the violent ways of the Mayan civilization are a well-documented historical fact, although historians have criticized the film for exaggerating and blending practices from different eras and cultures.

An Apocalypto 2 would give viewers a privileged chance to reexamine history through the eyes of Mel Gibson. The filmmaker has faced criticism for racially-charged comments in the past. Still, when we see films like Apocalypto, some viewers feel that Gibson’s passion for history far outweighs any possible racial prejudice.

Should Mel Gibson Make Apocalypto 2? Why the Original Ending May Be Enough

Apocalypto‘s ending might be one of the best in a historical drama. These films are usually made to portray a pivotal historical event. Apocalypto, on the other hand, presents the “prequel” to said event—the arrival of Spanish ships on Mayan shores. In the final scene, Jaguar Paw leads his family deeper into the forest rather than approach the newcomers, which is the closest thing the film has to a sequel hook.

At the time of the film’s release, some historians argued that the film was colonialist, portraying the Maya as a civilization in dire need of saving. However, that’s only a surface-level reading on what Apocalypto‘s ending truly means. As we see the ships approaching the New World, we know what comes next. If the violence we saw in the rest of the film was shocking, then we, as people familiar with the Spanish conquest of the Americas, know that what’s yet to come is the true apocalypse the movie promises.

Mel Gibson (who has just finished filming The Resurrection of the Christ) has never been vocal about an Apocalypto 2, and it’s easy to see why that might be. In a January 2025 appearance on The Joe Rogan Experience, he explained the thinking behind the original’s ending, though Screen Realm notes those comments don’t indicate whether he would revisit the story. Apocalypto is a perfect story; the ending tells a story on its own, without the need to portray the actual conquest to tell us how violent things are going to get for the Mayans.

In the unlikely scenario that Apocalypto 2 is ever made, Gibson might opt to avoid the film. As a result, a sequel made without him might be the perfect way to dilute the original’s legacy.

If you have never seen the film or were dissuaded by comments about its “negative portrayal of natives” or “historical inaccuracies,” do yourself a favour and give it a chance. You’ll be pleasantly surprised – as long as you can endure Mel Gibson’s trademark ultraviolence. Our earlier take on why the film remains an underrated gem makes the case.

Where to watch Apocalypto: Recent listings show the film available to rent or buy digitally on Apple TV, Google Play and Fandango at Home, with Prime Video and Peacock among the subscription services that have carried it.

Tell us, would you like an Apocalypto 2, and who should Jaguar Paw target for revenge?