The Purge film series revitalized a fledging horror genre that desperately needed new concepts. The genre remained stagnant since the 80s slasher film movement. With its release, a new renaissance blossomed in horror, rocketing the series to cult-like status.
The Purge not only graced theater screens but also gave birth to a television series. The franchise grounds itself in current real-world subtext to remain relevant in a sandbox with an otherwise outlandish premise.
In a recent interview with The Playlist, James Demonaco says that Universal’s a bit scared to produce his script for a sixth Purge film:
I wrote the script. Universal has seen it. There are concerns about budget, but it definitely presents a fractured America…the America I present in Purge 6 is where we all are separated by ideology and sexual preference.
So, the states are broken down in different ways. It’s written, it’s in [Universal’s] hands. I think they’re scared about the budget.
But my thing was if I was going to come back and direct a sixth one, it was going to be something bigger and a little more epic in scope, with this new America I want to present and bringing back [Frank Grillo’s] character. So, it’s kinda in limbo.
We’re all on board for a 6th Purge film! Setting up another one of these films only works in todays politically-charged landscape. There’s plenty of inspiration and setting available for this film. The hardest decision for me would be focusing-in on just one aspect of society to act as the incendiary setting for the film.
