Acclaimed horror director Ari Astar has built a reputation as one of the best new directors in film. Astar’s breakthrough feature-length film, Hereditary (2018), was a box office and critical smash. The A24 film is a psychological supernatural thriller and stars Toni Collette. Hereditary is one of the scariest and most fascinating horror films to date and, surprisingly, Ari Aster has been heard talking about a potential sequel. Are you excited about Hereditary 2?
The film tells the story of a grieving family tormented by a malevolent entity, entertaining occultism with interpersonal family dynamics to deliver a unique and fresh approach to horror storytelling. Toni Collette‘s portrayal of Annie Graham, a woman in pain and despair, was praised by critics. Collette channels madness, grief, and a host of emotions into her character and delivers one of the best performances of her career.
In an interview with Vulture, the Australian actress mentioned that playing Annie was the most demanding job of her life. Collette said, “It was just endlessly emotional — and there were lots of emotions. It’s one of the jobs where you get to go to work and roll around in ideas of grief and resentment and rage and all of these extremes in life, and we were dabbling in that area for weeks on end. There was no easy moment in this movie.”
Collette also mentioned that despite the hardships of portraying Annie, it was still an immensely satisfying experience playing with the emotional extremes of the character.
Hereditary 2
The success of Hereditary and Midsommar, Astar’s other acclaimed horror, has generated plenty of discussion and questions about a sequel for either film. In April, Aster attended a double feature of the abovementioned films at the American Cinematheque’s Aero Theatre. During a Q&A, Aster was asked if there will ever be a sequel to Hereditary, and the director replied, “I have an idea for a sequel to Hereditary… Who knows if I’ll ever do it.”
Ari Aster’s idea for a sequel means we must see what the director has up his sleeve. A24, the studio that produced the film, works closely with Astar and has a first-look deal with the filmmaker. Hopefully, they will be in discussion with Astar for a sequel.
Hereditary’s Legacy
The prospect of a sequel to Hereditary invites plenty of speculation. Will it continue to tell the story of Peter, Annie’s possessed son, or will Paimon, the demon possessing Peter, search for a new host? Perhaps Collette could return as Annie in some occult manner, like reanimating her corpse, for example, in Hereditary 2.
Astar probably has excellent ideas for a sequel, and time will tell if the film ever gets made. With or without the sequel, Hereditary has secured its legacy as one of the greatest horror films. Astar’s clever balance of traditional horror tropes and occultism, devoid of cliches, combined with underlying interpersonal drama, set Hereditary and Midsommar apart.
What do you think about Hereditary and the prospects of a sequel?
