Ready Player Two In Works From Zak Penn

In an interview with The Direct, Zak Penn, the co-writer of Ready Player One, has revealed that he’s currently working on the script for the highly anticipated sequel.

Speaking with the news outlet during the red carpet for the hilarious Stuart Fails To Save The Universe, Penn revealed that he is “working on it”, which is the first real update on the development of the project for years. Interest in adapting the 2020 novel by Ernest Cline has been rife ever since the first incredibly popular Spielberg film was released, with Deadline reporting at a similar time that the adaptation was in the works. Not long after, Cline himself revealed that “conversations have begun with Warner Bros,“ but ” we will have to wait and see“.

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Warner Bros. Pictures’ Ready Player One was released in cinemas in March 2018, set in a dystopian future where the virtual OASIS program offered an escape from the real world. The story followed Wade Watts (Tye Sheridan) and his friends as they raced to claim control of the digital utopia left behind by its late creator, James Halliday (Mark Rylance). The film ended in Wade sharing ownership of the OASIS with his friends while instituting regular shutdowns to encourage people to reconnect with reality. This sets up a potentially interesting sequel about what’s next, especially because the second book leans into themes around the responsibilities of those who control these powerful new tools. A story that feels incredibly prominent in these current times.

In the same interview, Penn also addressed the possibility of a sequel to Free Guy. When asked about director Shawn Levy previously noting that any follow-up would need to feel distinct from other self-actualization movies, Penn admitted he wasn’t sure. He explained that Levy and lead star Ryan Reynolds “felt really good about the movie and felt like they didn’t want to rush into a sequel”.

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Danny Humby

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Danny is a freelance media creative with a background spanning marketing, journalism and governance. From 2021 to 2024 he was Chair of the Student Radio Association and is currently a Trustee at Chichester Festival Theatre. He holds an MSc in Marketing and a BA in Film and Television from Solent University, and remains passionate about supporting young people, the arts, and charitable organisations to help broaden their reach and impact. He can be found under @popcornandpace on Instagram.

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