More than a decade after Contagion first hit cinemas, Steven Soderbergh has finally given fans an update on the long-discussed Contagion 2.
Speaking with Variety, the acclaimed director revealed that a sequel is still very much in the works, though it won’t be a traditional continuation of the 2011 thriller.
Soderbergh called it a “philosophical sequel” and explained that it will take a fresh approach to the elements of pandemics and global response.
He said, “We’ve talked about it.”
“It would have to be about something new, but also something that’s plausible.”
“Part of the reason people were able to find resonance in that movie when it opened, and then 10 years later when the pandemic happened, was it was rooted in reality.
He added, “We’ve got to find a new gimmick, but it’s got to be something that people go, ‘Oh, that could happen.'”
The original Contagion starred Matt Damon, Kate Winslet, Laurence Fishburne, and Jude Law. The film gained renewed attention during the COVID-19 pandemic for its eerie parallels to real-world events.
Contagion tells the story of a global pandemic that begins in China, caused by a virus that jumps from bats and pigs to humans through tainted food.
It quickly spreads from person to person through respiratory droplets.
As the outbreak grows, millions lose their lives, conspiracy theories about fake cures take hold, and governments scramble to contain the virus and develop a vaccine.
Soderbergh says the tough part about making a Contagion sequel is figuring out how to make it feel fresh and urgent for today.
He explained, “It would have to be based on something happening right now that could easily spiral into something massive with just a small push. For me, Contagion was a horror film.”
“So the challenge is, can you find something equally terrifying that’s also grounded in reality? There’s definitely an argument, especially in the West, about the long-term environmental impact of what we eat and breathe.”
He continued, “We now know there’s plastic in our blood and even in our brains. That’s new, and it’s bound to have serious consequences. There are a lot of directions you could take with that.”
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