We didn't really get the first Donnie Darko directed by USC grad Richard Kelly. The movie had it's good points but it was the ending that really bothered us. Donnie Darko is a movie about a teenager played by Jake Gyllenhall who is growing up in the 1980's. Donnie has to deal with his creepy visions delivered by a demonic looking rabbit. The movie was produced by Drew Barrymore and failed to connect with audiences during it's initial theatrical release. The movie bombed at the box office but it later developed a cult following at midnight screenings across the country. A director's cut of the cult film was even re-released theatrically. Richard Kelly also directed Southland Tales starring the Rock, Mandy Moore and Justin Timberlake. Southland Tales didn't fare well at the box office grossing only $275,380 at the North American box office, and $81,028 elsewhere, making a worldwide total of $356,408, falling far short of the film's $15-17 million budget. source source Watch Ebert & Roeper's review of Donnie Darko.
We admit to owning a copy of Donnie Darko in our DVD collection. Can anyone explain to us why they're making a $10 million dollar sequel?! This is guaranteed to tank because no one wants to see Donnie Darko 2 either theatrically or as a rental. Shout out to Geek Tyrant for sounding the "unecessary sequel alert" for this dud.
UK-based sales company Velvet Octopus will be launching sales in Cannes for S. Darko, billed as the sequel to the 2001 cult hit Donnie Darko. Fox has already taken North American rights.
Daviegh Chase reprises her role as Donnie's younger sister. The cast for S. Darko also includes Ed Westwick (Son Of Rambow, Gossip Girl), Briana Evigan (Step Up 2) and Justin Chatwin (Dragon Ball).
Ash Shah's Silver Nitrate and Newmarket Capital are producing. Los Angeles-based Chris Fisher, who previously made Nightstalker and Rampage: The Hillside Strangler Murders, will direct. The budget is pegged around $10m.
The story picks up seven years after the first film (and Donnie's death) when little sister Samantha Darko and her best friend Corey are now 18 and on a roadtrip to Los Angeles when they are plagued by bizarre visions.
Fisher said in a statement: "I am a great admirer of Richard Kelly's film and hope to create a similar world of blurred fantasy and reality."
Producers have spoken to Richard Kelly about the project but he is not involved in any official capacity at this stage.
Simon Crowe of Velvet Octopus added: "I think there is a new generation of cinema-goers who will be very excited to see this film."
Crowe quipped to ScreenDaily: "Donnie's not in [the new film] but there are meteorites and rabbits."
The project starts shooting May 18. source
