If you’ve been paying attention to this blog for a few years — or really any outlet that has tracked the back-and-forth drama — you’ll know we’ve been saying it’s very unlikely there will be a sequel to David Fincher’s “The Girl With The Dragon Tattoo.” Released in 2011 — and losing momentum by the minute — the sequel grossed $102 million in the U.S. and only $232 million worldwide after a thirteen-week run. As a global best-seller a la “Fifty Shades Of Grey”— which in contrast has already grossed $409 million globally after two weeks — this is a major underperformance.
Add on top of that drama that Fincher fought tooth and nail with producer Scott Rudin and former Sony honcho Amy Pascal every step of the way, right down to the casting of Rooney Mara (who no one at the studio one really liked for the gig). And that’s not to mention the huge financial expenses outside of the actual production. Fincher and Rudin were being paid exorbitant sums, as was superstar screenwriter Steven Zaillian who was paid to do several drafts of it and its sequel “The Girl Who Played With Fire.” In short, squabbling aside, even if a sequel was ever made, there would be several million against it before a frame of footage was shot; not an ideal place for a best-selling property that underperformed right out of the gate.
Then there’s the fact that David Fincher is doing ten thousand other things and moving into TV; he’s developing three projects right now including shows for HBO and Netflix.
Thus a recent interview with ‘Dragon Tattoo’ star Rooney Mara tells you everything we’ve all been thinking for years now. “I don’t think it’s going to happen,” she told E!Online this week. “I’m sad never to do it again, but it just doesn’t seem like it’s in the cards.”
No major surprises there, everyone’s moved on, including the audience. Though as a best-seller that Sony put down millions of dollars to option a few years ago, don’t be surprised if they decide to reboot the series in a few years and start over again. Though perhaps ‘Fifty Shades’ is sad commentary on ‘Dragon Tattoo’: the much safer, boring and bland version of what is transgressive material on the page performed way better in theaters.
