LOS ANGELES: Ready Player Two remains in active development, according to screenwriter Zak Penn, who has offered the first major update on the highly anticipated sequel in several years. The writer confirmed that he is continuing work on the project, giving fans fresh hope that the follow-up to 2018’s Ready Player One is moving forward.

Penn shared the update during the red carpet premiere of Stuart Fails to Save the Universe, telling The Direct that development on the sequel is ongoing. Although he did not reveal production or release details, his comments confirmed that the project remains alive at Warner Bros.

Zak Penn Confirms Progress

More than 100 words into the latest update, Ready Player Two received renewed attention after Penn simply stated, “I am working on it,” when asked about the film’s status.

Penn co-wrote Ready Player One alongside author Ernest Cline, whose bestselling 2011 novel inspired Steven Spielberg’s blockbuster adaptation.

Released in 2018, the science fiction adventure starred Tye Sheridan as Wade Watts, a teenager competing to inherit control of the virtual reality universe known as the OASIS after the death of its creator, James Halliday, played by Mark Rylance.

The film ended with Wade and his friends taking joint control of the OASIS while introducing scheduled shutdowns to encourage people to reconnect with life outside the virtual world, leaving room for a sequel.

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Sequel Has Been in Development Since 2020

Interest in adapting Ernest Cline’s 2020 novel Ready Player Two has remained strong since the book’s release.

In 2020, Cline confirmed that Warner Bros. had begun discussions about adapting the sequel for the big screen. He also said the project was in its early stages after he completed writing the novel.

Steven Spielberg later confirmed in 2024 that he would return as a producer rather than direct the sequel.

No Update on Free Guy Sequel

During the same interview, Penn was also asked about a possible sequel to Free Guy.

He said he was unsure about the project’s future but explained that director Shawn Levy and actor Ryan Reynolds had chosen not to rush into another installment because they believed the original film worked well as a standalone story.

For now, fans of Ready Player One will be encouraged by Penn’s confirmation that development on Ready Player Two is continuing, even though Warner Bros. has yet to announce a production schedule or release date.