Concerns with The Purge 6 have led to questions centering around whether it’s still in development.
The Purge’s Creator Speaks About The Fate of The Purge 6
The Purge franchise is one of Blumhouse’s biggest horror franchises. Blumhouse is the film studio behind horror film hits like Insidious, Get Out and Halloween (2018). The Purge franchise follows ordinary Americans as they attempt to survive The Purge, an American holiday where all crime is legal on one night in a dystopian future. The Purge franchise has produced five main installments and a television series since the first film’s debut in 2013.
The previous film, The Forever Purge, was intended to be the final installment, but discussions have been held regarding the development of another film. The Purge 6 will feature the return of Frank Grillo as his fan-favorite character Leo Barnes, since the character’s last appearance in 2016’s The Purge: Election Year.
In a recent interview, the popular horror franchise’s creator, James DeMonaco, gave an update on the story and status of the upcoming film.
“There are concerns about budget, but it definitely presents a fractured America… ” DeMonaco said. “The America I present in Purge 6 is where we are all separated by ideology and sexual preference. So, the states are broken down in different ways,” DeMonaco explained, in reference to the world of the upcoming film.
The interview shifted to franchise distributor, Universal, and their role in deciding to move forward with the sequel. “It’s written, it’s in [Universal’s] hands,” DeMonaco noted. “I think they’re scared about the budget. But my thing is was if I was going to come back and direct a sixth one, it was going to be something bigger and a little more epic in scope, with this new America I want to present and bringing back [Frank Grillo’s] character. So, it’s kinda in limbo.”
The Purge 6‘s Ambitious Story In The Aftermath of The Forever Purge
DeMonaco’s comments on The Purge 6 paint a picture of a more ambitious installment this time around. Considering how the last film ended with a practically post-apocalyptic America, it makes sense that the world of The Purge 6 would be more outwardly dystopian. The Forever Purge also ended with a voiceover, stating that the Forever Purgers were being fought off by others as America crumbles.
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This conflict between The Forever Purgers and regular civilians could become the backstory behind the divided states of America in The Purge 6. Making the United States firmly divided opens up the potential for the franchise’s usual dose of relevant social commentary. Exploring these different sides of a new America can also pay off the fan demand to see how other kinds of crime than just murder are handled in the franchise’s universe.
Seeing Grillo’s Leo Barnes navigating the insanity of it all could give The Purge 6 some serious Mad Max vibes. As Barnes hasn’t been seen since The Purge: Election Year, where he was during the events of The Forever Purge could be mentioned. Taking Barnes disapproval of The Purge holiday from previous films into account, he wouldn’t be happy about the condition America is in.
The Only Roadblock To Seeing The Insanity of The Purge Once Again
DeMonaco’s mention of Universal’s concerns with the budget recalls how all of Blumhouse’s films have low budgets, ranging from around $5 million to $20 million. Most of Blumhouse’s films that are budgeted closer to $20 million are sequels to their established franchises. The Forever Purge had a budget of $18 million when it was released in 2021. As The Purge 6 is set to be on a wider scale, a bigger budget than $20 million is more than justified, but also makes it understandable why The Purge 6 is in development hell.
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The major silver lining in The Purge 6‘s development is how other long-delayed Blumhouse projects, like the upcoming Five Nights At Freddy‘s movie, are seeing the light of day. The release of the latter film could mean The Purge 6 can be greenlit someday. Regardless of The Purge 6‘s developmental issues, DeMonaco’s update does promise another fun installment in the franchise, but with a more epic feel this time around.
About The Purge 6
The main plot of The Purge 6 is currently unknown, but Frank Grillo is expected to return as Leo Barnes from The Purge: Anarchy and The Purge Election Year. The Purge 6 currently has no release date.
What are your thoughts on DeMonaco’s update on The Purge 6? Are you excited about Frank Grillo reprising his role as Leo Barnes? What’s your favorite installment in the franchise? Let the Illuminerdi know on our social media, because we’re everywhere and everyone.
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Source: Coming Soon
