THEY LIVE Producer Sandy King Says "There Might Be" a Sequel in The Works
John Carpenter's 1988 sci-fi action thriller They Live was a hell of an entertaining flick! The story cleverly intertwines socio-political commentary with the story of an alien invasion. Its themes are more relevant today than ever in our current media and political climate.
It seems like the classic film, which is an adaptation of the Ray Nelson short story "Eight O'Clock in the Morning," is ripe for a new reimagining. During a recent interview with CB, one of the producers of the original film, Sandy King, hinted that a sequel of sorts could be in the works.
King teased, "That's a little like watching CNN now, isn't it? I think that if you stay tuned, you might actually see something before too long." In regards to whether this could mean a new chapter in the story could be coming, King said, "There might be."
King and Carpenter are currently working together on the horror series, John Carpenter's Suburban Screams, which is coming to Peacock on October 13th. So, they’ve been spending a lot of time together discussing things, and perhaps starting to work on other projects like a They Live sequel.
When previously talking about a revival of They Live, Carpenter said: "Well, I'm not gonna tell you about that, because it might be closer to reality than you think. There was a feature film. It was a feature film called Resistance, written by, oh, the guy who did the [Planet of the] Apes movies. Matt Reeves. But then he moved on, and so the sequel is, well, we'll see. We'll just have to see."
They Live follows a drifter named Nada, played by Roddy Piper, who stumbles upon a pair of special sunglasses. When he puts them on, the world transforms before his eyes. Billboards, magazines, and television broadcasts reveal hidden, subliminal messages commanding obedience, conformity, and consumerism. Instead of the humans he once recognized, many individuals are revealed as ghastly alien beings controlling society from behind this façade.
As Nada delves deeper, he discovers that these extraterrestrials have infiltrated human society at its highest echelons, manipulating the masses through media and economic dominance. Teaming up with his friend Frank, played by Keith David, the duo take it upon themselves to confront and expose the alien agenda. Throughout its narrative, "They Live" provides a biting critique on consumer culture, media manipulation, and the power structures of the 1980s, presenting a world where the real monsters are hidden in plain sight, controlling the populace through subliminal messaging and deception.
What do you think about the possibility of seeing a They Live sequel?