‘Dog Soldiers’ director Neil Marshall has announced that a sequel to his werewolf movie is not going ahead.
The 2002 horror flick follows a small squad of soldiers who are sent to meet with a special ops unit in the Scottish Highlands, only to find a bloody massacre before they realise they are being hunted by werewolves, and since its release it has gained cult status.
Marshall had plans for a sequel titled 'Dog Soldiers 2: Underdogs' but he has now revealed that it won't be happening after negotiations between himself and producer Christopher Figg, and I.P. owner David E. Allen broke down.
On Instagram, Marshall posted a picture of the teaser poster for the movie and wrote: “It is with a heavy heart that I must announce that this teaser poster is probably as close as we’ll ever get to a ‘Dog Soldiers’ sequel.
“For the past six years, myself and original UK producer of ‘Dog Soldiers’, Christopher Figg, have been working tirelessly to negotiate for the rights to make a sequel with the US Producer/rights holder David E. Allen and his company Dash. Six years!! That’s as long as it took to write and make the first movie.”
‘The Descent’ director said that the negations “came to a sudden and unexpected halt” when Allen’s company Dash “vanished” without a trace.
He lamented: “Unfortunately these negotiations came to a sudden and unexpected halt when, earlier this year, we were due to finalise and sign the agreements and … they disappeared. Vanished. Cut off all communication. Refuse to answer emails or calls.”
Marshall, 54, concluded that the sudden loss of communication with Dash meant ‘Dog Soldiers 2: Underdogs’ was “effectively dead”.
He said: “Why, you ask. I don’t know why. That’s the point. We simply don’t know what happened or why, but the end result is that we don’t have the rights to make a sequel without this deal in place, thus rendering it effectively dead. I’m sorry. We tried. We really did.
“And in Chris Figg’s case spent a lot of money on legal fees doing so. We wanted this for you. For all the countless fans who’ve asked for it.
“But in the end, perhaps it’s just not meant to be. The original film was lightning in a bottle, and perhaps lightning doesn’t, and in some cases shouldn’t, strike twice.”
Although 'Dog Soldiers 2: Underdogs' is no longer in development, Marshall is working on another movie centred on lycanthropes: 'The Werewolves of London'.
