Salt is a 2010 action film featuring Angelina Jolie as the title character, Evelyn Salt. The film follows the story of CIA agent Evelyn Salt who must go on the run to prove her innocence after being accused of being a Russian sleeper agent, only making herself look more and more guilty in the process. Salt was originally written for a male protagonist, with Tom Cruise secured for the lead, but screenwriter Brian Helgeland rewrote the entire script so that the role could fit Jolie. Salt was a commercial success, trailing just behind Inception at the box office, during its intial release. The film won the Saturn Award for Best Action/Adventure Film and earned Jolie a nomination for Best Actress.
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Salt had a lot to offer audiences. Considering the film came out shortly after the reveal of Russian sleeper agents in the “Illegals Program”, many thought the film did more justice to the dark realities of being a spy that most Hollywood spy films have a tendency to ignore. Thanks to Jolie’s performance, many saw the great potential for Evelyn Salt to become another in a long line of great action movie characters. Unconfirmed plans for Salt 2 were originally announced by director Phillip Noyce in 2010, but nothing official has come out of this. This all leaves us to wonder: what happened to Angelina Jolie’s action sequel?
Salt 2 Has Been Hinted at Since 2010
Columbia Pictures
Though it’s been over ten years since the release of Salt, a potential sequel has been hinted at since its release. Director Noyce even said that there was potential for not just a single sequel but a possible series of films, diving deeper into the character that is Evelyn Salt. Later on, Noyce retracted his statement and said he was too busy with other projects to consider working on a sequel and that, according to IndieWire, all he had to offer for the character was in the first film and its alternate endings. Noyce insisted that he was no longer the right person to direct Salt 2 and that any sequel to arise would do better having fresh eyes behind the camera.
A Change of Crew for the Sequel
Oftentimes, what delays a film is a contract dispute between the production company and the cast/crew, and while this is not the case for the cast of Salt, a change of crew has been made clear. With Noyce stepping down as director for any sequel, this may have given the impression to many that the concept for Salt 2 was abandoned entirely. While there may be some truth to this, a number of announcements of changes in the crew have occurred since 2010. In 2011, a new screenwriter was announced for the sequel, but Angelina Jolie voiced her doubts regarding hope for the movie. In 2012, more crew changes were revealed, including changing screenwriter again to Becky Johnston, known for her work on Seven Years in Tibet. On top of this, producers Lorenzo di Bonaventure and Sunil Perkash were brought on board for the sequel.
No Further Confirmation of Salt 2
Salt was a massive success at the time of its release, making the concept for a sequel an exciting prospect. While there has been a great deal of talk regarding Salt 2, nothing official has come out, regarding any release date or production in progress. As the years pass, the concept for a Salt sequel grows more and more unlikely; having passed the ten-year mark since the initial release of Salt, interest in a sequel has faded into the background. As a result, the production company’s interest in the film may have caused them to pull out due to a lack of overall interest from the public. That said, nothing is impossible and if everything comes together right, a sequel could still happen, but, unfortunately, nothing official has been confirmed.
