The unlikely sequel to the cult classic Donnie Darko revolving around his sister Samatha has been appropriately named S. Darko will not be released in theaters. Instead it will be released direct to DVD
Do you remember S. Darko, the Donnie Darko spin-off film we wrote about a while back? You know, the one which follows Donnie’s sister and features no involvement from the original director Richard Kelly? Yeah, that one. The good news is that the film will not play theatrically and will instead go direct-to-dvd on April 28th from MGM’s home entertainment.
Now I wasn’t a fan of the concept behind this sequel either, but to hang it out to dry before it even comes out is a little harsh. They are not even going to try to give this movie a chance and express that it is a good thing that its not going to be in the theater.
Negative buzz can kill a movie before it gets out the gate and I think S.Darko was already behind the 8ball with the cult following Donny Darko has. I am not surprised to see this go direct to video. A trailer will be released at the New York Comic Con.
Shoving a film to the second class release of direct to dvd doesn’t bode well for the studio’s confidence in the project, but at very least they didn’t want to can it completely so I will wait to see if someone reviews this (or maybe pick it up myself out of morbid curiosity) before I jump to conclusions and burn it in effigy.
I’m pretty stoked for this. Donnie Darko didn’t necessarily need a sequel or anything, true, but we should at least give it a chance. It could turn out to be an awesome addition to the Darko phenomena. You never know.
I don’t know why everyone thinks this is a bad idea. Donnie Darko was a great film and even if this film doesn’t meet expectations it will still explore time travel and hyperdimensions, which are awesome subjects in and of themselves. Personally, I’m stoked to get my brain twisted again.
Okay… I thought the same thing when I heard about s.darko. After seeing the trailer I want to give it a chance. At least there would be something at the movies I would want to see. I don’t expect it to be as good as the first. Most people haven’t heard of the first one so maybe it would create a buzz for donnie darko. All I’m saying is we should give it a chance. They already made it. I want to see it. If it’s bad then oh well. Don’t buy it. :) I kinda wish it would come out @ the movies.
Praise the lord!
When will people learn you don’t have to make a sequel out of everything.
To be honest, I thought the director’s cut ruined the original. So Kelly’s involvement makes no difference to how good this sequel is.
I never thought Donnie Darko needed a sequel anyway. I’m not saying I didn’t like the film, I loved it. But what I am saying is that it didn’t need a sequel in the first place.
I think.. well, it’s kind of like Cube. A wonderfully made low budget film that is fresh, clever and inventive. Then dunderheads come in, try to overexplain mysteries and other points of interest, make everyone sorry they asked, and then wind up watering down the concept…
…and then comes the Darko bastard stepchildren 3,4 and 5 DVD……who knows.
Maybe this is this generation’s Shock Treatment. A sequel to a popular cult film which nobody asked for, but got one anyway, and which will be largely become a footnote in cinema.
so this must be the suck end of the original artist
(in this case kelly) forfeiting all measure of control
over intellectual property for studio financing part.
Some movies just dont need sequels. Ill leave it at that.
So pointless, who thought making this movie was a good idea? Find them….I want to personally slap them.
burn it, rodney, burn it…
if they’re not gonna cancel it, personally i’m glad it’s at least getting buried.
can’t help but think of lost boys 2.
Lionsgate did the same thing, although with limited release, with Midnight Meat Train and then with Repo The Genetic Opera, and i’m sure others will get the treatment.
At least with Repo, there is a cult following.
They are hoping to monopolize on the cult following of Darko, but sadly its the Darko fans that think this movie was a bad idea.
I’m not a Darko fan, so I’m not sure if it is or not. But I plan on watching Donnie Darko, and maybe the second. I’ll give it a chance. Any project has the chance to be good or bad. Only time, and trailers and such can really prove that though.
Interesting, I thought it was always supposed to be a direct-to-DVD movie.
Good.