A sequel to the classic Christmas movieThe Polar Expresswas officially announced a while ago, and here is why the development ofThe Polar Express 2is taking so long.The Polar Expressis one of the most-watched movies every holiday season, withRobert Zemeckis and Tom Hanks' Christmas collaborationbecoming an even bigger hit as time goes on. The success of the originalThe Polar Expresshas led to the announcement thatThe Polar Express 2is happening, although the film is taking a while to come out thanks to a variety of factors.
WhileThe Polar Expressis now considered to be a Christmas classic, this wasn’t originally the case when it was first released in 2004.The Polar Expressmade only $318.2 million on a budget of around $170 million, and while this means that a lot of viewers saw the film, the box office returns were pretty low. The critical reception didn’t help either, with it being labeled as one of Zemeckis' worst films upon its release. However, kids who grew up withThe Polar Expresshave now turned it into a cult favorite, leading to the announcement of a sequel.
The Polar Express 2 Was Announced To Be In Development In Early 2024
By Producer Gary Goetzman
Although many fans of the original may have missed this news,The Polar Express 2was announced to be in development in early 2024. In January 2024, producer Gary Goetzman announced thatThe Polar Express 2was in development, which was an exciting announcement for fans of the Christmas film. However, Goetzman gave no word on how far along development onThe Polar Express 2was, with the announcement of its existence raising hopes that the film would come out sometime soon. Here are Goetzman’s comments onThe Polar Express 2:
“Listen, I’d love to. I’d love to do a sequel ofWhere The Wild Things Are. There’s a lot of the things that we’ve done, if it established itself, branded itself, those movies, studios want another one. That’s the way it goes. I’m up forMamma Mia 3, man. That would be a ball to do right about now. But it becomes, there’s so much involved with, ‘Who’s artistic property would that be? Would that be?’ It’s just not like, ‘Hey, let’s go do another free sailing! So, they all take time and that’s okay because we don’t mind things going slowly. But that is trying to be worked out now, for sure,Polar 2. Yes.”
At the time of the announcement,it seemed like Goetzman and his team were actively developingThe Polar Express 2, meaning that a sequel will finally be happening more than two decades later. Although there was no word on the potential for a sequel until 2024, the increased popularity ofThe Polar Expressmeans that it makes sense for a sequel to happen now. However, it looks likeThe Polar Express 2may still be a while away from being released.
There Haven’t Been Any Updates On The Polar Express 2 Since January 2024
The Movie Has Gone Silent
It has been nearly a year since Gary Goetzman announced thatThe Polar Express 2was in development, but as of the writing of this article, there haven’t been any updates on the sequel. Goetzman’s announcement is the only word that has been revealed aboutThe Polar Express 2, with none of the cast members, creatives, or even the director of the original, Robert Zemeckis, saying anything. While fans are eagerly awaiting more news about the sequel, nearly a year has passed without Goetzman giving any more reveals.
The Polar Express 2: Will It Happen? Everything We Know
Following The Polar Express’s popularity surge, there has been a sudden interest in The Polar Express 2 release date, and here’s everything we know.
The lack of updates on the sequel signals thatThe Polar Express 2was incredibly early in development when it was announced, as, if a lot of work had already been done, surely they would have something to show for it by now.One scary possibility is thatThe Polar Express 2has been quietly canceled, as Goetzman’s announcement didn’t come directly from a studio. AThe Polar Expresssequel seems risky two decades after the original, and it is possible that someone working on the sequel realized that.
Do We Really Need The Polar Express 2 After 20 Years?
Is This Something That People Want?
While some may find the prospect ofThe Polar Express 2exciting, it isn’t really necessary. It has been 20 years since the original was released, meaning that the kids who grew up withThe Polar Expressare now adults. On top of that, there isno book sequel toThe Polar Express, and without a clear narrative path forward, the movie will have to write an original story.
If The Polar Express 2 Doesn’t Have Tom Hanks, We Don’t Want It
The Polar Express 2 has been announced as being in development but without Tom Hanks’ involvement, the sequel might not be worth the hype.
Making a sequel toThe Polar Expresswould also require the return of Robert Zemeckis' creepy motion-capture animation, something that almost nobody is wishing for. This style of animation hasn’t been seen since 2011’sMars Needs Moms, and after multiple critical failures from Robert Zemeckis and the animation style, the chances of a sequel being good are low. While a sequel toThe Polar Expresswould probably make money, it really isn’t a good idea in the 2020s.
The Polar Express
Cast
Based on the book by Chris Van Allsburg, The Polar Express is an animated holiday-fantasy film by director Robert Zemeckis. A young boy is spirited away on Christmas Eve aboard the magical Polar Express, where he meets new friends on a journey to rediscover their belief in Christmas.
