Soderbergh Drops Shocking Update on the ‘Contagion’ Sequel Fans Have Been Waiting For!

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The esteemed director Steven Soderbergh has enjoyed an exceptionally stylish career within Hollywood. Debuting with “Sex, Lies, and Videotape” in 1989, he has skillfully balanced an independent spirit in his filmmaking methods while collaborating with big-name celebrities. In collaboration with writer Scott Z. Burns, Soderbergh produced the strikingly prescient film “Contagion” in 2011″, starring Matt Damon, Laurence Fishburne, Jude Law, Marion Cotillard, Kate Winslet, and Gwyneth Paltrow. In a recent conversation with Variety, Soderbergh discussed the potential for a sequel to this project in the wake of the Covid-19 pandemic and his desire to work with Burns once more.

We’ve discussed potential ideas, seeking something fresh yet credible. The success of the movie when it first released and again during the pandemic stems from its grounded realism. To strike a chord with audiences now, we need to devise a novel twist, one that feels authentic enough for people to say, ‘That could actually happen.’

The movie “Contagion” depicts a global pandemic that originates in China from an illness carried by pigs and bats, which spreads to humans through contaminated food. As the disease rapidly spreads, millions of people die, while conspiracy theorists promote false remedies and governments scramble to contain the outbreak and search for a vaccine. Does this scenario sound familiar? Soderbergh faces the challenge of making a sequel that feels fresh, unique, and relevant in today’s world. He explained:

What we need is something currently happening that only requires a small push to become a major issue. For instance, the movie ‘Contagion’ was terrifying. So, the challenge is to find something equally scary but real-life. In today’s world, particularly in the West, there are strong arguments for the long-term environmental impacts of our diet and air pollution. It’s no secret that plastics have found their way into our bodies, even our brains. This is a new development that could have severe consequences. There are numerous possibilities to explore.”

This version maintains the original meaning while using simpler sentence structures and clearer language for easier understanding.

Soderbergh Is the King of Cool

Perhaps what sets Steven Soderbergh apart is his knack for distinguishing between creating a movie and crafting a film, and he excels at both. His self-awareness in the art of filmmaking enables him to strike a balance between the entertainment value in his movies and the underlying messages in his films. This versatility allows him to transition effortlessly between genres, as seen in his diverse portfolio ranging from horror films like Contagion to working-class justice dramas like Erin Brockovich, all the way to his latest spy thriller, Black Bag, which is generating positive reviews and maintaining a 96% rating on Rotten Tomatoes. Given Soderbergh’s talent for unearthing the essence of the stories he tells, a sequel to Contagion would likely prove an unexpected yet captivating journey.

As a cinephile eagerly anticipating the next cinematic masterpiece, I’m thrilled to announce that Steven Soderbergh’s latest film, titled “Black Bag,” will grace our screens on March 14th, courtesy of Focus Features and Universal Pictures.

Sources: Variety

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2025-03-14 14:32