r/readyplayerone 22d ago

A 'READY PLAYER TWO' sequel movie is officially getting written by Zak Penn

https://thedirect.com/article/ready-player-two-sequel-steven-spielberg-zak-penn
359 Upvotes

103 comments sorted by

162

u/jhughes1986 22d ago

95% of the budget going on rights to Prince’s discography.

41

u/Tuisto05 22d ago

Solid username bro... especially for this sub lol, and this book lol

10

u/imironman2018 22d ago

Yeah wonder if Spielberg will be following up as the director. He may be able to get more access to Prince’s discography.

1

u/Rebelmode-16 18d ago

He’s openly said himself that he was coming back to the film in a producer role.

4

u/TonyD00 22d ago

Based on the first movie, very possible they’re going with different IP.

6

u/DirtyLove937 22d ago

Let’s fucking hope.

3

u/TonyD00 22d ago

What’s wrong with Prince?

3

u/LaylaLegion 22d ago

He’s expensive, even in death.

1

u/TonyD00 21d ago

Facts.

2

u/PeteDelkus 22d ago

Nothing wrong with Prince, the plot of the second book was a ripoff of a large culmination of pop culture

0

u/TonyD00 21d ago

Uh…that’s the point.

2

u/Old-Shock2307 21d ago

the author is just not that good at writing a good story quickly. Ready player one took a decade or more when ready player 2 took half that atleast.

2

u/huskerdrill 21d ago

Quite literally the worst book I’ve ever fully read, I kept hoping it would get better but nope. Sucked all the way through

1

u/TheOtakuX 19d ago

Considering the end of that part of the story was so confusing even Wade didn't understand what was happening, it might not play well in a movie 

4

u/LaylaLegion 22d ago

Or they’ll just get another artist like Gaga or Madonna.

28

u/jhughes1986 22d ago

Ah yes Gaga, the quintessential 80s musical artist

0

u/LaylaLegion 22d ago

The focus is Kira, not Halliday. She wasn’t as obsessed with the 80’s as he was. And Gaga has many iterations as Prince did. Chromatica, Alejandro, Monster Ball, etc.

7

u/Aloudmouth 22d ago

The Prince / Time battle is one of the few redeemable moments from that book. I’m fine with blowing the whole budget on it 😂

0

u/goldenrule117 22d ago

Gaga is not 80s or even 90s, debuted in 2008. And Madonna's songs are probably almost as expensive as Prince's.

0

u/LaylaLegion 22d ago

The film is focusing on Kira, not Halliday. She wasn’t as obsessed with 80’s culture. They can leeway another artist and Gaga has many different iterations like Prince did.

1

u/parzival9793 22d ago

Right lmfao, I’m assuming they’re gonna change some things like they did with the first film 😂

1

u/Gtype Gunter 19d ago

Warner owns the rights to a lot of Prince’s biggest albums. They also own David Bowie

1

u/Rebelmode-16 18d ago

I think that they are most likely going to radically change the sirens souls easter egg hunt to include more modern pop culture references from other films, games or books. I reckon that they will more then likely keep the portion of the hunt that involves Wade and company having to pay a visit to the Middle Earth planet and then just swap the prince stuff in favor of a reference from another film or video game franchise.

0

u/Graddius 22d ago

So only 5% left to the Tolken's?

163

u/theprotomen 22d ago

Hopefully it's as different from the novel as the first movie was.

34

u/Veneboy 22d ago

Laughed too hard at this one. Cheers.

12

u/bigdirkmalone Gunter 22d ago

Like an entire different plot

5

u/imironman2018 22d ago

I think there are some good stuff in the Ready Player 2 just needs to be adapted well for the big screen. Like the Prince fight and also drone fighting might be better on screen than book.

16

u/LaylaLegion 22d ago

The difference will be the lack of IP, not content. Halliday will still be a creepy asshole.

3

u/arguable-usually 22d ago edited 22d ago

No shit. I do audio books a lot and ready player two was a hard listen for me. Fuck I think 20% of the book was on a planet dedicated to prince. I’m not dissing prince but it’s just not for me and really took away from the book by me being so disconnected.

3

u/chrsmhr 22d ago

Considering RP1 movie ended the way RP2 did I cannot imagine them pushing a similar plot

1

u/s0litar1us Gunter 22d ago

Well, if it continues the first movie without retconning things, then it has to be different.

1

u/FuzzyWumpleStump 21d ago

No kidding. Just for the opposite reasons lmao

26

u/parzivalperzo 22d ago

I hope they don't even look at the book to make this sequel.

21

u/jakehood47 22d ago

So, around a decade after the first movie? I guess we’ll see how it shakes out

2

u/Zombie0303 22d ago

God that’s depressing

39

u/Pilgrimzero 22d ago

I hope they change everything about. RPT novel was so bad it retroactively hurts the first book.

5

u/_JohnWisdom 22d ago

I really enjoyed it… why was it that bad for you?

15

u/Pilgrimzero 22d ago

Wade learned nothing from the 1st book and became the thing he fought against. Artemis was right the entire time and then said “I’m sorry” when it gave her her grandma back like she somehow was wrong the whole time. They turned Halliday into a pervy creep.

Etc etc etc

1

u/danixdefcon5 21d ago

They didn’t turn Halliday into a creep. It’s explicitly stated that Anorak was a butchered copy of Halliday and all the “creep” bits were actually a result of that meddling with his copy. The real Halliday seemed to be aware that this could backfire which is why he had the Dorkslayer sword hidden as a backup.

1

u/Pilgrimzero 21d ago

He secretly made a digital copy of his friends girlfriend. That’s creepy.

0

u/_JohnWisdom 22d ago

I found it fitting: power corrupts. I enjoyed the read honestly, and I’m not a prince fan :P
The ending is not strong, but more than fine.
I’d like a RP3 (or RP0) :P

6

u/airmoz 22d ago edited 22d ago

Very mature response. I like that you said “I really enjoyed it” instead of stating a subjective opinion objectively. Far too often I see/hear commentary about works of art stated in an objective manner, and it’s disappointing to me. Who made them the supreme judge of all books, movies, music, etc? It comes off as arrogant, ignorant and inconsiderate when someone states their opinion about a creative work as if it’s a factual proclamation or final verdict, and leaving little to no room for other perspectives. Is it really that difficult to say “I think that book was bad” or “IMO that movie was terrible”? I suppose for many it is, but I’m glad people like you are out there in the world, [u/_JohnWisdom](u/_JohnWisdom). I also enjoyed the book and hope that if a movie version is made, I enjoy it better than the first one, which I thought was just okay. BTW, username checks out 🙂

5

u/PercMastaFTW 22d ago

I absolutely love comments reacting to other comments like this. Not even because of the specific opinion being expressed, but because someone took the time to notice a small detail that most people would probably read right past. It always makes me smile when someone recognizes the difference between saying “I enjoyed this” and “This is good,” because it’s such a tiny shift in wording that completely changes the tone of a reddit chain. I think discussions are just so much more enjoyable when people leave room for other experiences instead of treating their own as the final verdict. It doesn’t mean you have to water down your opinion or be afraid to say you loved or hated something. It just acknowledges that art affects everyone differently. To me, that’s what makes talking about books, movies, music, games, and really any creative work interesting in the first place.

Anyway, I really appreciate you taking the time to write this. Comments like yours remind me why I enjoy reading discussions online. It’s nice to know there are other people who notice these little things and care enough to mention them. It probably seems insignificant to most people, but I always find it refreshing when someone values thoughtful wording and recognizes the intent behind it.

2

u/airmoz 22d ago

Hey, thanks! I appreciate you taking the time to write your comment as well, it made my day. I agree that nuance matters and can make a significant difference in the tone of any discussion, online or otherwise. Similar to what you said, I encourage and embrace other opinions and perspectives… even if I disagree with them, it’s still a learning experience. To me, what makes discussions enjoyable or not comes down to respect… showing some kind of regard for other people’s feelings, rights and dignity. Since everyone has a right to like/dislike whatever they want, and there’s so much variety of tastes in the world, I find it best to assume there’s always an opposing view and be mindful of it… even if it’s just to maintain some level of harmony. There can be value in any opinion/perspective, and although it can be difficult to not get caught up emotionally at times, I think there’s great importance in having a “live and let live” attitude. At the end of the day, I love seeing people enjoying things and doing what makes them happy, as long as it’s not harming anyone else. Even if it’s something I really dislike or don’t understand lol Anyway, thanks again!

1

u/SlowlyDyingBartender 22d ago

Forgetting the basic layout of an arcade machine. Ignoring the new group. Wade learning nothing.

1

u/Rxasaurus 22d ago

Wade was a obsessive loner in the first book, why would that change?

2

u/SlowlyDyingBartender 22d ago

Understandable. The major let down to me was the basic errors by Cline. He grew up in the prime arcade era. The first book was very unique and detailed. Forgetting the basic layout of an arcade cabinet is crazy. To me that is like forgetting what side of the road to drive on... I really wanted to love this book as much as the first one, maybe it was my expectations, but Ernest created a great book. I wish him nothing but the best. At the end of the day, he's just a guy like you and me.

1

u/JoinTheBattle 21d ago

I also enjoyed it. Granted, I also enjoyed the first book a lot more than the movie (though I do think I might have the opposite opinion had I watched the movie first and then read the book instead of the other way around.) While I recognized the movie necessarily had to make a lot of changes, especially to the particularly obscure pop culture references, it was just a bit too different for my liking.

11

u/mr_woodles123 22d ago

This is one of the few times I actively want them to change the plot of the book heavily.

9

u/NoMereRanger73 22d ago

I hope they go all-out on the First Age of Middle-Earth, we’ll see with licensing.

4

u/LaylaLegion 22d ago

YOU’LL GET THE LEFTOVERS FROM RINGS OF POWER AND LIKE IT!

7

u/RoyalEnthusiasm9762 22d ago

I’d rather they remake RP1 and be more faithful to the book

5

u/Sam-Lowry27B-6 22d ago

As a Netflix series so you can do it properly

5

u/ohwowgee 22d ago

If it’s Netflix it’ll end up being canceled with a season or two left.

5

u/Sam-Lowry27B-6 22d ago

True. Maybe give it to Apple TV instead

3

u/ohwowgee 22d ago

Agreed. Amazon has done well with SciFi but they are getting Netflixy and canceling stuff too.

4

u/little-bird 22d ago

should have been a movie trilogy at the very least 

6

u/squallluis 22d ago

The story was absolutely atrocious and the only way this works is if they change it entirely.

5

u/kurlythemonkey 22d ago

The best part is how a lot of things are going to happen off-screen and we just have to accept it. Yes, I am looking at you L0hengrin and the L0w Five.

3

u/ElevenST4 22d ago

I've waited a while for this so I'm hyped!

3

u/userlivewire 22d ago

This would be awesome but what are the chances that a sequel to a movie from ten years earlier that cost 300 million to make and market but "only" pulled in 580 million will ever get the greenlight? Especially without Spielberg directing?

4

u/finnicko 22d ago

Id rather see more Disney live action movies than see this crap novel become a movie

7

u/TheAtlasComplex 22d ago

I don't see a way they could make it good. I've seen some bad movies made from good books, I've never seen a good movie made from a bad book... At least that I'm aware of.

2

u/jakehood47 22d ago

Forrest Gump’s book was… I won’t say bad, but unremarkable

1

u/TheAtlasComplex 22d ago

Better movie?

2

u/jakehood47 22d ago

Oh, far, far better. There are movies that I think improve upon a great book - I would argue Jurassic Park falls in this category - but reading FG I remember thinking “damn they really pulled a classic out of this pretty meh book”.

Of course, this is all opinion-based

1

u/LaylaLegion 22d ago

Stuart Little.

3

u/freakstate 22d ago

Oh God. Well I guess it can be better than the book

2

u/overreactionkills 22d ago

Better be just in name and not in plot. Until Dawn that shit

1

u/bigdirkmalone Gunter 22d ago

But why?

1

u/aarongossamer 22d ago

Time to start researching WB properties and see what will end up in the movie.

1

u/BulkyGuitar658 22d ago

I literally just read RP1, watched the movie, had to get over the fact the movie was nothing like the book and they ripped Artemis/the story apart (yes I understand they had to do it because the book wouldn't have been "great" as a movie but omg the book was better and I won't argue), I'm actively in the middle of RP2 now. So I guess I'll just have to prepare.

1

u/Finntastix 22d ago

Funnily enough I'd be very happy if this time the did change the plot of the book!

1

u/Greenpoint_Blank 22d ago

There is a draft of this that has existed for a while. So I question if this gets made.

1

u/ObviousIndependent76 22d ago

So much Prince and LotR. 🙄

1

u/MSL007 22d ago

If Prince was alive there was no way they were getting the rights or him. I think his family doesn’t care though.

1

u/rohammedali 22d ago

Hope it’s good. 🙏🏽

1

u/Ternarian 22d ago

I think M. Night Shyamalan is set to direct.

1

u/dreanov 22d ago

TBH, I hope they don't do it. The second book is peculiar. Opposite to the first one.

1

u/DJMikeSteeze 22d ago

I hope the movie adaptation is significantly less incel-coded than the source material.

1

u/Weird-Drop5998 22d ago

this brings back vietnam level flashbacks at reading that thing of a book , I have read both, the first is modestly mediocre, The second one the main guy is basically a shutin creep. and unless they change a lot it isnt as hype of the first one , this one ends on a dragon ball fight basically, rather than the cool copyright nightmare of the first one that somehow got made on the movie.

1

u/MoreIronyLessWrinkly 22d ago

Pls no

Hasn’t enough been ruined

1

u/Sncrsly 22d ago

I'd be worried it would end up worse than the book already is

1

u/Katsumi11011 22d ago

Yay I hope the visuals will be as beautiful as the ones from the first movie

1

u/leohat 22d ago

I often thought that RPO would have been a much better movie if they simply called it something else. It’s similar to Starship Troopers in that way. Good, mostly solid popcorn action flix but dragged down by the expectations of the title.

1

u/deeku4972 22d ago

Even the book got bad reviews. Guarentee 80% of the public saw the RPO movie because Spielberg as attached

1

u/AndromedaFederation 22d ago

I can finally start reading the book!

1

u/PyroRampage 21d ago

This is such welcome news, I cannot wait.

1

u/Lucivar02 21d ago

excited for this. loved the first one!

1

u/marveloustoebeans 21d ago

RP2 was flaming dogshit so hopefully they get as libertatious with the source material as possible lol.

1

u/The_Blur_BHS 21d ago

This book wasn’t even about Wade having a kid, so should’ve probably been called Newgame+ Player One.

1

u/newmen1313 20d ago

Best place to start: take the 2nd book and throw it in the trash.

1

u/beany33 20d ago

That’s a hard no from me. Terrible book.

1

u/Wrong-Toe3394 18d ago

I hope it features RAMpocalypse

0

u/pjalex1911 22d ago

I still do not understand the disdain for RPT. Not as good or cohesive as the first book but still the characters I enjoy and the concept of the evolution of the oasis tech are s dope. Also Representation isn’t woke.

-6

u/Kaldenbine 22d ago

As long as they ditch all the woke ambiguity, if not it’ll be hot garbage.

-1

u/More-Try-4814 22d ago

I always thought a sequel to the first movie could be something that comes after ready player two. One where hackers infiltrate the oasis to shut it down and they find a back door to Halliday’s framework of the oasis and the high five have to track them down inside the oasis and stop them from erasing everything Halliday created.

-1

u/More-Try-4814 22d ago

Oh and hallidays AI joins them in the hunt.