Under Paris was a huge hit for Netflix, even becoming one of the most popular non-English movies on the streaming service with over 102.3 million views. Naturally, a sequel was quickly announced, with director Xavier Gens and star Bérénice Bejo expected to return, but there’s been a change of plans. THR has reported that Under Paris 2 has a new director, with Alexandre Aja now set to helm the project.
Alexandre Aja Knows His Water-based Predators
Alexandre Aja will make a great fit for Under Paris 2. He definitely has experience with flesh-eating creatures in the water, having directed Piranha 3D, which found thousands of prehistoric, carnivorous piranha descending upon a popular waterside resort. He also directed Crawl, which follows a father and daughter who find themselves preyed upon by alligators during a hurricane.
Under Paris
The official Under Paris synopsis reads: “After a dangerous shark nicknamed Lilith kills all of Sophia’s research colleagues, the scientist (Bérénice Bejo) gives up studying climate-related shark mutations. But five years later, an environmental activist named Mika (Léa Léviant) discovers a massive shark lurking in the Seine just days before the World Triathlon Championships are hosted in Paris — and it’s the same one Sophia was tracking. So the scientist warily dives back into her work in order to thwart catastrophe. Now it’s up to Sophia, Mika, and reluctant police officer Adil (Nassim Lyes) to prevent a bloodbath before it’s too late.“
The report isn’t certain why Gens won’t be returning for the sequel. He was also one of the co-writers of the original film, and there’s no word yet on who will write the script for the new installment. After the success of the first movie in 2024, he was asked about a follow-up. “Right now, as of today, we’re not on it but there’s a chance we’ll be discussing it soon,” he said. “If there is a sequel, it will take place in a Paris that is entirely submerged under water.“
Our own Tyler Nichols had fun with Under Paris, although he admitted that it didn’t break any new ground as far as shark movies go. “Under Paris is exactly what most shark movies end up being: an absurdist view of what a shark would do if it was a sentient killer. I wouldn’t say it’s good, but there are some high-octane moments that help you ignore the more overtly dumb ones,” Nichols wrote. “Climate change is a large factor in the story and it gets a little heavy-handed with its message. But I really enjoyed where the film ended up, setting up for what could be an extremely intriguing sequel. Watch this with a group of friends and laugh at the insanity on display. That’s what most shark movies are good for, and this is no exception.” You can check out the rest of Nichols’ review right here.
What do you hope to see in Under Paris 2?
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