Man on Fire 2: Is the Sequel Happening?

Helmed by Tom Scott, ‘Man on Fire’ is a reimagination of the eponymous novel by Philip Nicholson, AKA A. J. Quinnell, which follows John Creasy, a former CIA operative and mercenary who is burdened by equal parts trauma and guilt. Due to his alcohol abuse, John has very limited employment opportunities. Yet, his job as a high-profile bodyguard in Mexico turns out to be far from what he expected. Things quickly go wrong, however, when his boss’s daughter, Pita, is kidnapped by a crime syndicate, forcing John to take matters into his own hands. The action thriller movie ends with John saving Pita’s hands, but dying in the process. Nonetheless, fans are curious as to whether there is more to John Creasy’s riveting story. While there has been no announcement of a ‘Man of Fire 2’ as of writing, the possibility of a sequel cannot be entirely ruled out.

Tom Scott’s Man on Fire is Unlikely to Have a Part 2

Given that ‘Man on Fire’ ends with John Creasy breathing his last, the chances of the film getting renewed for a sequel are exceedingly slim. While popular series like ‘John Wick‘ and Christopher Nolan‘s ‘Batman‘ trilogy have shown a precedent for overturning character deaths by revealing them to be a fakeout, such a scenario doesn’t really work with the Denzel Washington classic. In the movie’s final moments, the exact dates of John’s birth and death flash on the screen, confirming that this is indeed the end for his character. Still, it is possible that a hypothetical ‘Man on Fire 2’ might completely bypass the subject and continue with his adventures. The fact that the movie’s source material, Philip Nicholson’s eponymous novel, has two sequels means that the movie’s writing team already has a narrative blueprint.

Despite there being two more novels in Nicholson’s ‘Creasy’ series for the writers to draw from, namely, ‘The Perfect Kill’ and ‘The Blue Ring,’ a major difference in the storylines sets them apart. At the end of book 1, the protagonist, Marcus Creasy, successfully defeats his enemies and fakes his own death in the process. Thus, it makes sense for his journey to continue forward, unlike John’s. For the latter character to have a similar trajectory in ‘Man on Fire 2,’ some of the original movie’s most powerful moments will need to be retroactively changed, which might detract from their emotional value. Still, there is a distant possibility of a movie sequel bringing a contemporary take on Nicholsons’ follow-up novels, especially ‘The Blue Ring,’ which is about the cartel, and can tie into John’s story.

While a sequel movie might not be possible, there is endless potential in John Creasy’s story as far as a prequel is concerned. Given the character’s history as a CIA operative as well as a mercenary, the writers are unlikely to run out of potential material anytime soon. This can also be the perfect opportunity to explore the exact reason for John’s guilt throughout the first movie, as well as the origins of his journey with faith. However, the farther back a prequel might hypothetically go, the less likely it is for Denzel Washington to reprise his role as the master hitman. He has previously joked about the possibility of a sequel in an interview with Phase9, saying, “Maybe I could do another one of these Creasy stories, we can just say that he fell asleep at the end of this one (the ending of the first movie).” Still, with all things considered, ‘Man on Fire 2’ is likely off the table for now.

A New Netflix Series May Serve as Man on Fire’s Spiritual Sequel

Although there is no official news about a sequel to Tom Scott’s 2004 movie, a TV adaptation of the first two ‘Creasy’ novels finished production in the early months of 2025 and is likely to be released by Netflix the following year. The eight-episode series, also titled ‘Man of Fire,’ is written and produced by Kyle Killen and stars actor Yahya Abdul-Mateen II as John Creasy. While the character shares his name with his film counterpart, there has been no confirmation as of writing that these two variations of John Creasy are the same. Still, this potential connection does point back to the ideas of a prequel, as with Abdul-Mateen II on board, the story can focus on John’s past just as much as on his future, without necessarily breaking plot continuity.

According to the Netflix logline, the TV show ‘Man of Fire’ follows a vulnerable John Creasy on a quest for vengeance. This time, however, the story is not centered around Pita’s abduction, but the murder of his best friend. While this brief description doesn’t specify who that friend is, it is likely that it refers to Paul Rayburn, a character in the 2004 movie who has since passed away. From there, the show also introduces a rescue mission, as John must protect the life of Paul’s daughter, Poe, while new enemies surround them from every corner. It appears that this show intends to use both Nicholson’s novel and its film adaptation as reference points, furthering the story of John Creasy in its own fashion. However, whether it is actually the sequel to Tom Scott’s movie remains to be seen.

Read More: Where Was Man on Fire (2004) Filmed?