It appears a new slasher franchise may well be upon us. Last year, director Josh Ruben delivered a very satisfying horror/comedy themed around Valentine’s Day in the form of Heart Eyes. It appears as though Screen Gems and Paramount Pictures were happy with the result, as they’re now said to be pursuing a sequel. While it’s not been confirmed by the studio directly, things seem to be headed in the right direction.
According to Dread Central, Heart Eyes 2 is in the works behind-the-scenes, with Ruben recently turning in a draft of the script. Not plot details have been revealed, nor was there any mention of returning cast members or a potential timetable for production. As is often the case, things can enter development at studios and never see the light of day. So don’t get too excited just yet, but this is a promising update for those who wish to see more of the Heart Eyes Killer spilling blood on V Day.
The first movie centers on the so-called “Heart Eyes Killer” as he begins killing romantic couples in Seattle. A pair of co-workers who are pulling overtime on Valentine’s Day are mistaken for a couple, with the killer putting them in the crosshairs. They must spend the most romantic night of the year running for their lives. Mason Gooding and Olivia Holt led the cast, with scream king Devon Sawa and Jordana Brewster also part of the proceedings.
Not to get into spoiler territory too heavily here, but both Holt’s Ally and Gooding’s Jay made it out alive. While the killer was seemingly disposed of, that doesn’t mean it’s all over. How many times has Michael Myers or Jason Voorhees been disposed of only to come back for more? Or perhaps we could get some sort of copycat killer? Whatever the case, Ruben evidently has an idea on the page.
Heart Eyes did reasonably well for itself at the box office, pulling in $33 million worldwide. It did carry a reported $18 million budget, meaning it didn’t outright profit in theaters. It almost certainly turned a profit for once VOD, streaming, and Blu-ray/DVD sales were factored in, as evidenced by the sequel development. Sony's Screen Gems released the movie in North America, with Paramount handling the international release.
At the very least, Paramount appears to enjoy being in business with Ruben. The man behind Werewolves Within and Scare Me is also developing an adaptation of the novel Wilderness Reform for the studio as we speak. With any luck, Ruben can add the creation of a new slasher franchise to his resume before long. We’ll be sure to keep you posted as further details are made available.
Heart Eyes 2 doesn’t have a release date but stay tuned.
