Many fans are wondering if a sequel to Red One will be released after it made history on Amazon Prime Video.
Red One is headlined by a star-studded cast led by Dwayne "The Rock" Johnson and Chris Evans. It revolves around a renowned tracker and a special operative from the North Pole teaming up to save Santa Claus from being abducted by the forces of the Christmas witch, Gryla.
Red One premiered in theaters on November 15.
Will Red One 2 Happen?
Red One's dismal box office performance led to concerns among fans that a sequel may not happen.
The Dwayne Johnson-led movie only earned $176 million worldwide on a reported budget of $250 million.
The 2024 Christmas movie also did not meet critics' expectations, earning a dismal 30% critic approval rating on Rotten Tomatoes. Still, Red One is a win for the audience as it received a 90% rating from viewers.
Red One's streaming debut on Prime Video did wonders for the movie as it became the biggest movie debut in Amazon Prime Video history, reaching more than 50 million worldwide viewers in just four days after its December 12 streaming release.
While a sequel is still up in the air, Amazon MGM Studios head Jennifer Salke has been excited about this development. In an official statement, via Variety, Salke revealed that Red One will "clearly be a perennial holiday favorite for years to come:"
"Given the audience response to 'Red One' both in theaters and on Prime Video, the film will clearly be a perennial holiday favorite for years to come. Every film is different, and we are so grateful for the partnership with our filmmakers in collectively finding the right strategy to get this film in front of the widest possible audience."
The Amazon MGM Studios head ended her statement by being "incredibly thankful" to Red One's cast and crew for their hard work:
"With 'Red One,' there was no doubt that strategy needed to include a theatrical release and associated marketing campaign, which drove audiences to theaters and generated awareness for the film with viewers who would ultimately tune in on Prime Video. It’s rewarding to see our plan pay off for customers, and we are incredibly thankful to the entire filmmaking team and cast who helped make it happen."
Red One's streaming success combined with the positive audience reception could justify a potential sequel. If a sequel ends up happening, then it is likely that it would have a vastly reduced budget given the studio's massive spend on the first film.
What Could Red One 2’s Story Be?
Red One ended on a happy note after Callum (Dwayne Johnson) and Jack (Chris Evans) successfully rescued Santa Claus from Gryla, with Santa's brother Krampus helping the pair in the end to pacify the ancient witch.
Given that Red One introduced a lot of mythology, such as the Mythological Oversight and Restoration Authority (MORA), a potential sequel could see the organization taking on active threats that could ruin other holidays like Halloween or Easter.
It is possible that another ancient villain could wreak havoc and destroy the other holidays, giving more reason for MORA to be more active in dealing with the threat.
Doing this would even allow Callum to reunite with Jack since the pair had already proven that they work well together in a team. J.K. Simmons' Santa Claus could join the fight, giving him a much more active role in a possible sequel.
Red One is now streaming on Prime Video.
