Pratik Handore
Netflix’s ‘Unlocked’ is a South Korean film that marks the directorial debut of Kim Tae-joon. It is loosely based on author Akira Shiga’s 2017 Japanese novel ‘Sumaho O Otoshita Dake Na No Ni.’ The crime thriller film stars Chun Woo-hee, Im Si-wan, and Kim Hee-won in the lead roles. It tells the story of Na-Mi, a young woman whose smartphone goes missing and lands in the hands of a mysterious stranger who uses it to stalk her. Given the film’s thrilling narrative and ambiguous ending, viewers must be wondering if the film will birth a sequel. If you are looking for details about the possibility of ‘Unlocked 2,’ here is everything you need to know!
Will Unlocked 2 Happen?
‘Unlocked’ was released on February 17, 2023, on Netflix. The 117 minutes-long crime thriller film received generally positive reviews from critics after debuting on the streaming platform. Although the film wraps up most of its narrative threads by the climax, it leaves some open ends for the story to continue in a potential second installment. However, at present, an official sequel to ‘Unlocked’ has not been announced just yet. Moreover, the creative team behind the movie is yet to officially comment on the chances of a follow-up installment.
The film is the official South Korean adaptation of the Japanese novel ‘Sumaho O Otoshita Dake Na No Ni,’ which loosely translates to ‘I just Dropped My Smartphone.’ Published in 2017, the book was written by Akira Teshigawara under his pen name Akira Shiga. It is the first installment in the author’s ‘Even Though I Just Dropped My Smartphone’ series of novels.
The first part is followed up with the second book, titled ‘Sumaho O Otoshita Dakenanoni Toraware No Satsujinki.’ It loosely translates to ‘Even though I Just Dropped My Smartphone, I’m a Captive Killer.’ Therefore, there is undoubtedly more of the source material to adapt in a second installment.
The original book was adapted into a 2018 Japanese film directed by Hideo Nakata and written by Tetsuya Oishi titled ‘Stolen Identity.’ The film received a sequel titled ‘Stolen Identity 2’ released in 2020. The sequel adapted the second book in the series and also became popular. Hence, the South Korean adaptation could also receive a similar treatment despite making several changes to its source material. The first film ends on a rather ambiguous note leaving the fate of the notorious serial killer Jun-Yeong.
During the final moments of ‘Unlocked’ it is revealed that the person committing crimes under the name of Jun-Yeong is not Ji-Man’s son. He is an imposter who killed the real Jun-Yeong and used his identity to commit crimes. Moreover, the killer is still alive and seemingly once again targeting Na-Mi. The second installment is likely to pick up a few months after the ending and follow the second book’s plot.
As a result, viewers can expect to learn more about the killer’s past and deranged psyche. However, the killer will be forced to work with the police after a new cyberstalker known as M emerges. Moreover, the filmmakers could take a slightly different approach to the sequel by including Na-Mi in a major capacity, as the original film’s ending sets up a conflict between her and the killer. The sequel could also draw inspiration from the franchise’s third novel.
All things said, the chances of a sequel materializing will depend on the first installment’s performance. If the film exceeds Netflix’s viewership demands, a second installment could be greenlit in the coming months. Assuming production commences in late 2023, ‘Unlocked 2’ could arrive on our screens in Q3 of 2024 at the earliest.
Read More: Where Was Netflix’s Unlocked Filmed?
