Henry Cavill and Armie Hammer played the roles of Solo and Ilya in The Man From U.N.C.L.E. in 2015. But after four years, fans are still expecting to see their return in The Man From U.N.C.L.E. 2.
The Man From U.N.C.L.E. had initially been an MGM television series that ran for four seasons on NBC before it was adapted into a movie under Guy Richie's directing skills. The show started the spy procedural craze of the 1960s before it became an underperforming spy film under Warner Bros. Although it didn't perform well in the box office, it was well-received by critics. It was said to be stylish, carrying a star-driven breeze.
If MGM once again collaborates with WarnerMedia to make The Man From U.N.C.L.E. 2, these studios can go on different directions. They can follow its original procedural format and aim for syndication. Hence, they can stick in on one of WarnerMedia's Turner networks - like TNT and TBS, per Observer.
They, too, can opt for Ritchie's more stylish, but big-budgeted approach. They can make the sequel an action drama for HBO as WarnerMedia already upped its content budget by $500 million. They can also make it as a streaming exclusive for the upcoming HBO Max.
When Ritchie launched Man from U.N.C.L.E. in 2015, it received middling reviews and had a disappointing box office. What should have been a start of a franchise seemed to be "dead on arrival," Vanity Fair reported.
However, the show seemed to build a solid fanbase. Hammer revealed he got often asked if there would be Man from U.N.C.L.E. 2. In an interview with Slashfilm in April 2017, the 32-year-old star revealed that when he asked screenwriter Lionel Wigram, the latter revealed it would resurrect the franchise and write a sequel.
"I called Lionel Wigram, the producer of the movie ... I was like, 'Dude, what's the deal? I get asked about this shit all the time. Can you just write a sequel?'" he said. "You know what? Yeah, f*** it, I'll do it. Sure, I'll write a sequel," Wigram responded.
Although Warner Bros. has yet to officially commission Man from U.N.C.L.E. 2, there are hopes that the franchise will continue. With the movie's $109.8 million worldwide gross against its reported budget of $75 million and Wigram's willingness to do a sequel, it is not far that fans will once again see Cavill and Hammer on the big screen together.
