Stephen Sommers' action-horror take on the Van Helsing story was a box office success when it premiered in 2004, despite the critics thumbing their noses at it. A sequel to Van Helsing was in development before the film even hit cinemas, but two decades later, fans are still no closer to seeing it being made. Here, we take a look at the prospects for Van Helsing 2 and whether leading man Hugh Jackman will return as the titular character.
Released in 2004, Van Helsing was set to be the latest in a series of box office success stories for director Stephen Sommers, who by that stage seemed to have perfected the family action-horror blockbuster genre (see 1999’s The Mummy and its follow-up, The Mummy Returns, for evidence).
And while it was never going to muster much enthusiasm for the critics, Universal Pictures felt sure that they had 2004’s summer hit on their hands. But when Van Helsing grossed $120 million domestically (and around $300m globally), against a reported budget of $170 million, the production company wasn’t sure what to make of the film’s moderate, lukewarm reception. The production had been so confident in Van Helsing being a success that they reportedly began development on a sequel before the first film even opened, and were paying to hold onto the Transylvania sets - but now its future seemed uncertain.
READ NEXT: Is Henry Cavill Playing Captain Britain?
Plans for a sequel were scrapped quietly. At the same time, plans for a tie-in Extended Van Helsing Universe TV show, called Transylvania, were underway. And while this would’ve been revolutionary at the time, coming nearly a decade before the MCU, plans for this show were also scrapped. Van Helsing’s fate was left decidedly in limbo, but with the door never fully closed on its return. In 2012, Universal Pictures announced a reboot of the film, with Alex Kurtzman and Roberto Orci set to produce a modern reimagining.
Tom Cruise was tipped to star as the title character, with Rupert Sanders in early negotiations to direct the film. But by 2015, after three years of production and negotiation wrangling, Cruise had already left his role to appear in The Mummy reboot. After the poor commercial reception to that film, Universal Pictures decided, once again, to shelve any Van Helsing 2 ideas.
READ NEXT: Predator: Badlands - What to expect, Cast, And Release Date
So, will there be a Van Helsing 2 - and what might it look like?
Despite the decades-long setbacks, 2020 saw good news for those who wanted to see the return of the Victorian-era monster hunter to the big screen. In late 2020, Deadline was reporting that a Van Helsing reboot was back in development. Julius Avery (Overlord) was hired as a director, in addition to doing a rewrite of an original script by Eric Pearson (Thor: Ragnarok, The Fantastic Four: First Steps). James Wan, well-known as one of the foremost names in the horror genre, was attached to serve as producer.
Read Next: Will We Ever Get A Live-Action Swamp Thing Movie?
In their reporting, Deadline noted that this new team might make a much darker iteration of Van Helsing (compared to the family-friendly nature of the 2004 original). They said, “What makes the hiring of Avery very intriguing is that the studio has said they are open to any takes when it comes to their monsters, including whether the film is rated R.” At the time of writing, no further details about this new film have been revealed.
READ NEXT: Jason Momoa Will Play DC Villain Lobo In Supergirl
Would Hugh Jackman star in Van Helsing 2?
For many fans, the Van Helsing film - and potential franchise - is synonymous with Hugh Jackman. The Australian leading man played the eponymous hero in the 2004 film, infusing him with a dark, unique, almost comic book-esque brilliance. It stands to reason that, for many fans, no sequel would be complete without Mr. Jackman playing a role.
READ NEXT: Brendan Fraser Gives Green Light To The Mummy 4 Return
Van Helsing 2
The actor himself has expressed interest in returning to embody the role of Van Helsing. As recently as summer 2024, he told fans at a press conference for Deadpool Vs Wolverine that he would very much be open to donning the black duster and wide-brimmed hat. He said, “I wouldn’t mind revisiting Van Helsing.” He then added, jokingly: “Just maybe- just aesthetically, I’ll not do the hair extensions. [But] maybe I’ll look at that.” That’s all we know so far about when we might get a Van Helsing 2 - and whether Hugh Jackman will play a central role in the film.
READ NEXT: Keanu Reeves Preparing To Return For ‘Constantine 2’
Van Helsing 2
Regardless, it's safe to say that the film still has a significant fanbase over two decades on from when it first landed in cinemas. As evidence, we don’t need to look further than the fact that a carefully edited fan-made video was posted online back in November 2024, purporting to be a trailer for Van Helsing 2. While the video was quickly declared a fake, it had racked up 100,000s of views.
Van Helsing - fans await your return to vanquish evil…
Make sure to follow us over on Facebook, Instagram, and Threads for additional movie news and content. Check out the articles below for more.
