Neill Blomkamp’s found footage science fiction movie District 9 took the world by storm when it was released in 2009. The thriller movie tells the story of an alternate world where in the early ’80s, a group of alien refugees came to Earth flying their ship above the South African city of Johannesburg.
Decades later, the aliens – known colloquially as Prawns – have become an oppressed group, kept in slums and camps where humans persecute them. Our hero (although we use the word liberally) is Wikus van de Merwe (Sharlto Copley), a bigoted bureaucrat tasked with relocating the aliens outside the city.
During the removal, Wikus is exposed to a dangerous alien fuel which starts to mutate him into a Prawn. Desperate for help, Wikus turns to the very aliens he persecuted and learns a valuable lesson about empathy and compassion. The alien movie was wildly popular, and it ended with the promise of a sequel. 13 years on, however, we’re seemingly no closer to a District 10 release date, despite Blomkamp promising it’s on the way.
Well, Sharlto Copley has been kind enough to offer an update and unfortunately, like Wikus waiting for his aliens to return, we’re going to have to be patient. In an interview with Dexerto, the action movie star said we’re a year and a half away from the film shooting.
“[Blomkamp’s] doing Gran Turismo, so that’s going to be a year-and-a-half before we can get to [Distrcit 10],” Copley explained. “Let’s say a year-and-a-half, two-year timeframe… that we’re shooting. I’m not promising; this is not a promise from me.”
We’ll be honest. It doesn’t sound to us at least that we’re any closer to seeing Wikus again. If you love District 9, check out our list of the best sci-fi series.