The Sea Beast sequel in the works after original broke Netflix record
The film was one of the streamer's biggest hits of 2022.
A sequel to acclaimed animated film The Sea Beast is in the works at Netflix, after the original smashed records to become the streamer's most-watched animated film of all time.
Set in a world where enormous monsters dwell in the oceans, the story followed hunter Jacob Holland (The Boys star Karl Urban) and his young stowaway Maisie Brumble (Zaris-Angel Hator) as they search for a beast known as Red Bluster.
The film launched on Netflix last summer after a limited theatrical run, earning glowing reviews from critics for its heartwarming story and strong viewership on the service.
Now, director and co-writer Chris Williams has revealed that a sequel is in development, which will continue the story of Jacob and Maisie, while he has also been tapped to produce another animated fantasy project for Netflix.
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"I never thought beyond the first movie," he told The Hollywood Reporter. "We were not planning for a series. And that was for the good. I just wanted to make this a fun experience and not compromise by trying to set up future anythings."
Williams continued: "A priority in the first one was making it feel plausible and truthful. And when I thought about the truth about where the Sea Beast ended, it looks like everything is nicely wrapped.
"You have the father and daughter sitting on the dock, the world has changed and given up monster hunting and, isn’t that terrific? But the more I thought about the truth of it, the more I realised the story wasn’t really over."
The filmmaker went on to say that the sequel will tackle the "challenges" faced by the fledgling family unit formed by Jacob and Maisie at the end of the first entry, and hinted that some monster hunters would resist giving up their livelihood.
In addition to The Sea Beast 2, which is a long way from getting an official title or release date, Williams has announced another fantasy film described as tonally "between Lord of the Rings and Princess Bride".
He added: "It’s like Game of Thrones and Lord of the Rings where you have a history that leads up to the point where the story begins, and it’s a huge world with multiple events going on outside the story being told.
"But at the same time, I want to have fun with some of the conventions that Princess Bride did. It’s not parody and it’s not making fun of it, but it has a perspective that is light and refreshing."
The Sea Beast ranked as the sixth most-watched film on Netflix overall in 2022, placing behind fellow hits The Gray Man, The Adam Project, Purple Hearts, Hustle and The Tinder Swindler.
The Sea Beast is available to stream on Netflix. Check out more of our Film coverage or visit our TV Guide and Streaming Guide to find out what's on.
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Authors
David Craig is the Senior Drama Writer for Radio Times, covering the latest and greatest scripted drama and comedy across television and streaming. Previously, he worked at Starburst Magazine, presented The Winter King Podcast for ITVX and studied Journalism at the University of Sheffield.
