18 Years Later, Wanted 2 Could Finally Happen—If One Crucial Condition Is Met

Wanted 2 talk is back on the board, but with a catch. Director Timur Bekmambetov says a sequel could finally happen — if his next sci-fi movie lands the way he needs it to.

While doing press for his upcoming 2026 sci-fi film 'Mercy', Bekmambetov said the fate of some of his older franchises (yes, including 'Wanted') might hinge on how 'Mercy' performs. He even put it pretty bluntly:

"It is at the mercy of Mercy."

In a ScreenRant interview, he added that 'Mercy' doing well would help him make more interesting movies across the board. As for 'Wanted 2' specifically, he says he already has a concept and hyped it up as 'unbelievable', but he is keeping the story under wraps until there is real movement. Classic 'I have a plan, but I can’t tell you yet' energy.

One interesting wrinkle: he suggested Chris Pratt — who popped up in a supporting role in the original — could play a bigger part if the sequel goes. He also took a moment to praise Angelina Jolie, calling her an unbelievable human being and saying he would love to see her back doing action on screen. No mention of deals or offers, just where his head is at.

• Quick refresher: 'Wanted' hit theaters in 2008, starred Angelina Jolie, James McAvoy, and Morgan Freeman, and followed office drone Wesley Gibson discovering his father’s ties to a secret assassin group called the Fraternity — then getting pulled in to hunt down dad’s killer. It was a solid commercial hit and sits at 72% on Rotten Tomatoes.

So where does that leave us, 18 years later? There is no greenlight for 'Wanted 2'. But Bekmambetov is clearly still talking about it, he has an idea he likes, and if 'Mercy' connects in 2026, that could be the push this thing has been waiting on.