When you get the kind of numbers that the spy action thriller Safe House grossed, which was near $202 million worldwide, it’s probably a safe bet that a studio would want to move forward with a follow-up. And that’s what Universal is doing. They have already hired the film’s original writer David Guggenheim to write a draft for what will either be a sequel or a prequel.

And why is it unclear whether it will be a sequel or a prequel? Well there are some potential spoilers that explain why, so if you haven’t seen the movie already, don’t hit the jump.

Starting to regret posting this only because I haven’t seen the movie, but if you are like me and are already at this point, you must be very interested. In the first Safe House film, Ryan Reynolds plays a rookie CIA agent who must protect a captured renegade CIA agent played by Denzel Washington. But in the end, Washington’s character dies. But that isn’t stopping Universal from seeking him out and putting his character in the film in any sort of capacity. Whether it be flashbacks, video left behind, or some sort of ghost. Or we could see him in a prequel, which would be a bit of a problem for Reynold’s character.

A sequel would obviously see Ryan Reynold’s character return as he searches for the truth. How Washington would make an appearance is unknown. But for Reynolds to appear in a prequel would be much harder to understand. It would be a lot easier for the audience to understand if Denzel’s character appeared in a prequel though.

Credit goes out to THR, who was the first to report on this story. Guggenheim first started out as editor for Us Weekly, but now he has become one of the most sought out screenwriters. He is currently working on Stolen, Narco Sub, 364, and Puzzle Palace, and don’t expect that he will stop there.

[Source: THR]