“The Raid 2: Berandal” Poster
If 2009’s Merantau hinted that director Gareth Evans was on to something special, then 2011’s The Raid proved our point. With 2014’s The Raid 2: Berandal, expectations were not only met, they were drastically surpassed.
Fact is, in such a short amount of time, Evans is an ingenious filmmaker who is on one hell of a creative peak; funny thing is, something tells us the guy hasn’t even reached his peak yet. Using The Beatles as analogy: If Merantau is “Meet the Beatles,” then The Raid is “Rubber Soul;” If The Raid 2 is “Revolver,” then perhaps The Raid 3 will be “Sgt. Pepper’s Lonely Hearts Club Band”?
Evans has made his mark as one of the hottest action directors working in film today. And he does it with a limited budget, a foreign language and no big names or stars (which has obviously changed for Iko Uwais).
In celebration of Evans’ cinematic victory, we decided to jump the gun on The Raid 3 (regardless if a Raid 3 ever happens), using a roller coaster of updates from the director himself:
So far, here’s what we know/knew about The Raid 3:
“I don’t have any plans to do The Raid 3 within the next two or three years so I’m going to take a break from that franchise for a bit… I want to do some some things outside of Indonesia for like two films, then come back to Indonesia and shoot The Raid 3. I have another one I want to shoot with him first. Still in the action genre and it’s something that [Uwais] needs to train for for a fair amount of time. You have to make good with some weaponry, my friend,” says Evans (via CO.com, March 2014).
“If The Raid 2 starts two hours after the first film, The Raid 3 will start three hours before The Raid 2 finishes. We’ll go back in time a little, and then we’ll branch off. So for me – without giving too much away – I want to try a different landscape. I want to try to shoot something that’s very, very different from the first and the second one. So visually it’ll look completely different, tone-wise it’ll be very different. So there’s a lot going on there, a lot of ideas going around in my head, it’s just a case of putting them down on paper. We’re in the process of developing it for maybe two years down the line,” says Evans (via DOG, April 2014).
Evans has brought up Scott Adkins on numerous occasions, so you can’t deny that Adkins has a chance of appearing in The Raid 3. Even Adkins himself has tweeted: “I’m officially stating it NOW!! @ghuwevans better me put in The Raid 3!! Here’s what Evans had to say about him: “Scott Adkins I’ve had the pleasure of meeting on a few occasions. He’s ridiculously talented with an all round skillset that combines fight techniques with athleticism and acrobatics. I’m looking for the right project, once I do I would love to work with him on something” (via COF).
There were some imdb.com rumors that suggested martial arts super star Tony Jaa (Ong Bak) may be joining the cast of The Raid 3. Although imdb’s information may or may not be accurate, it’s definitely a 50/50 scenario. Here’s what Evans had to say about Jaa: Tony Jaa is a phenomenal talent. Ong Bak was a major announcement to the industry and to audiences that the martial arts genre was back. Of course there’s been a fair amount of mud thrown around regarding the situation between artist and production company but that’s not for us to know nor is it in any way something that takes anything away from his all round talents. With the right script, the right role and please God no elephants.” But in a later reply with Evans, he said this about the rumor: “That’s just someone posting it up on imdb.com. I have a huge amount of respect for Tony, but I haven’t even put pen to paper on The Raid 3 yet, and it won’t happen for a couple of years” (via COF).
In early 2015, Evans took to Twitter to give us an update (or lack thereof) for the 3rd chapter of The Raid series: “The Raid 3 isn’t going to be happening anytime soon. Ideas in my head. Nothing written. No set date. 2018/19 possibly.”
In a November 2016 interview with Impact’s Mike Leeder, Evans had this to say about The Raid 3: “To be honest I don’t really know. I have an idea and it’s the same idea I’ve had since we were making part 2. Nothing has changed on that front, I just can’t say for sure when I’ll be in the right headspace to do something with it. Whether it was a conscious decision or not, moving back to UK felt like a closing chapter on that franchise – we ended the story pretty neatly (I feel) in part 2. I’m aware there’s an interest for it, and genuinely it is incredibly touching to see people still dropping messages my way asking for it. So never say never, but it’s unlikely to happen anytime soon.”
On September 23, 2018, came some disappointing news for those of us wanting a Raid 3: Here’s what Evans told CB: The Raid 3 was… at one point it was on my radar. I had a full idea. I know what the storyline would have been. But I think enough time has passed now that I think I’m not likely to go back and revisit it. We had a lot of fun making those films, and I think we came to a nice, sort of natural conclusion with [The Raid 2]. And I think sometimes you can have a little bit too much of a good thing.
Updates: Speaking to JoBlo, Evans revealed that The Raid 3 would have been more about the gangs rather than Iko Uwais’ character, Rama:
“I knew what I wanted to do with The Raid 3, I knew what that story was going to be. If I was ever going to make it, it really had to have happened after we made The Raid 2. The storyline was going to pick up – I’ll give you a little bit of it – if you were watching The Raid 2 and rewound from the ending about 15-20 minutes back to when Goto gives instructions to his right-hand man to go kill the police, kill the politicians, ‘kill everyone that we work with, we’re going to start fresh,’ that was going to be the first scene of The Raid 3. It was going to be more about the yakuza than it was going to be about Rama; Rama was not really going to feature in that storyline much at all, it was going to be about the bosses in Japan realizing that someone in Jakarta that represented them started to fuck with the politicians and the police in a country they don’t belong in. It was going to be the fallout from that.”
“It was going to be a 95 minutes, 100 minutes, sort of… escape into the jungles of Indonesia type of thing. But it really needed to be made at that period of time. Four years, five years later to go back and try to recreate that, it felt a bit disingenuous. I made three martial arts films in a row, I wanted to explore other things first. It was always a cool idea, but it stopped being really special for me. The Raid, it gave me an awful lot that I’m very appreciative about, but that adventure is kind of over now.”
Again, never say never, but for now, Evans is prepping Apostle, which hits Netflix in October!
Nothing written yet… but I’m already excited about it? That really says something about Gareth’s talent (AND Iko and company, obviously). One thing i for sure- whatever he does next, I’ll be watching and supporting. I’ve got the UK DVD of MERANTAU, and the US Blu-ray, and the US DVDs and Blu-rays for both of THE RAID films, as well as the UK Steel-book Blu-rays too. Guess you could say I’m a bit of “a fan”. LOL Wish I could get my hands on the documentary that he made in Indonesia on Penjat Silat…
I have to hand it Evans. Usually with movies with kind of hype and anticipation, the filmmakers are rushed by producers to make a quick follow up ($$$); sounds like he’s taking his time so he can get it done correctly, without being being rushed. After all, he doesn’t want to be cursed with the “Part III sucky syndrome” (i.e. Mad Max 3, Return of the Jedi, Godfather III, etc”
I’m happy to wait. I assume he’ll make one or two other films in the mean time which I’ll be interested in seeing. Merentau is a very under rated film. Definite top ten MA film from the last 10 years.
Agree with you on Merentau. I liked it more than the original Raid (I might even like it more than Raid 2.)
HOPE ITS TRUE THAT TONY JAA,SCOT ADKINS AND DONIE YEN MAY APPEAR
Would rather see Merentau 2 then The Raid 3.
Agree on that.
I’d be at peace with the news if he would tell us what it was going to be about. I figure it would’ve been about the Yakuza family heading back to Japan, but that’s just me guessing.
At first, I was sad that there’d be no trilogy. But after thinking about it some more, and taking Evan’s words in consideration, if he chose not to do Part 3, I’d be happy.
If it’s not focused on Rama, it would feel like more of a spin-off than sequel. Plus, a Raid film without Rama is like Die Hard without John McClane or Once Upon a Time in China without Wong Fei-Hung.
I’d rather Evan’s do an action film outside that franchise after he’s finished his recent projects.
Just write and produce a ‘Hammer Girl’ prequel film and find some young hotshot to direct it.
I could see this idea for the Raid 3 being amazing, especially if the main characters were The Assassin, Hammer Girl, & Baseball Bat Man all going on their killing spree of the Yakuza, politicians, gangs, etc.. Cecep Arif Rahman might be the most talented martial artist in the Raid 2 and could totally hold the third movie as the main character. Plus, he only said Iko wouldn’t be in it a lot, so that doesnt mean he wouldn’t be in it at all.. but too bad it seems Gareth has given up on the idea of making the third.. Either way, I’m just excited to see anything he creates in the future. I’ve already heard him say that he’s got some killer martial art movie ideas up biz sleeve, so it’s almost more exciting to be surprised by a whole new mystery project, than a familiar one. Gareth Evans is a true genius and no matter what he creates, it will be AMAZING! Can’t wait for Apostle and Gangs of London (He’s filming 4 episodes of it:)!!
Even if Iko is in the 3rd movie for a little bit, I feel like that’s a disservice to the character he plays. Plus, with the movie starting 3 hours before Part 2 makes it into a prequel spin-off which doesn’t sound appealing.
Even if it stared the 3 assassins, knowing what happens to them later doesn’t help. I’m sure Evans can make any concept good no mattter what it is, but I’d rather a story go forward than backward.
“Even if Iko is in the 3rd movie for a little bit, I feel like that’s a disservice to the character he plays.”
Agreed.
Though the other characters are not without merit,
Iko is Rama, and it is his story we all desire to be a witness too.
Well, maybe not all, but definitely you and I.
; )
“… Hammer Girl, & Baseball Bat Man…”
Yes!
Any excuse for another face-off with those too!
Whether Rama has joined forces with the Yakuza, and runs into them then;
or perhaps after being betrayed by them as well, they unexpectedly become his allies in battle; or perhaps they’re just next in line for all out destruction of them all…
Two relentless and entertaining characters,
and the ultimate martial arts god with a heart.
I love it!
; )
No.
This is unacceptable.
I am heartbroken, the expectation has helped give me a reason to live.
I love the idea of focusing on the Japanese Yakuza aspect of it,
but it would have return to Rama sooner than later.
Iko owns the screen, Raid 2 solidified his star power,
whether fighting or standing still.
Gareth did right by him in that regard,
he saw what he was capable of, and allowed him to shine.
He evokes such emotion from the screen,
I have never been so invested in a martial arts character until Iko Uwais.
To go back a bit further in Raid 3 for context, but pick up shortly where 2 left off,
so Rama can get some rest, is a story I would love to see!
While I am pleased and supportive of Mr. Evans other projects.
He promised, or at minimum has teased us with expectation for years now.
It is unfair to say he owes us, he owes nothing…
but he promised, and this is deeply disappointing.
I was glad the American version fell through, it wasn’t necessary.
I saw it as an affront to the original, a masterpiece.
It should have been re-released, a bigger promotion,
and the subsequent word of mouth would have made it an even bigger success.
People need to get over themselves, and the foreign language thing,
and enjoy the essence of the story in all its Indonesian glory!
Thankfully, we’ve received doses of Iko, and other Raid figures, here and there,
including Star Wars, the Tiger Chen/ Keanu Reeves film, Headshot, and others;
and most recently, Mile 22, which seemed a bit like a consolation prize as it relates to the end of the Raid 3 saga in America and abroad… I would have enjoyed it much better if Mark Wahlberg would have toned it down just a bit — but as usual, Iko Uwais delivered.
I wish Gareth the best,
but I would lying if said I wasn’t disappointed.
If not Raid 3, which sucks hard,
I welcome other projects with his obvious muse, Iko Uwais.
Peace.
Trust me when I say this. He will come back and do the Raid 3 eventually. Not right now but there’s no way he is going to leave this project. As the saying goes, Don’t forget who worked with you, when nobody wanted to work with you.
I’m pretty sure Gareth’s answers are concrete.
I don’t doubt that he might have left The Raid franchise for good, but if you think anything he says is concrete than you were born yesterday. Gareth Evans spent two years saying he would make the third film, then after that got cold feet. So reality is, his statements are never concrete.
Personally, I’ve known since the 2016 interview that he’s not doing the third film anymore. I’ve seen him repeat it multiple times on his IG comment. I’m just glad more people know about it now, so these morons on youtube and messageboards can just stop spreading this false news about how it’s coming out in 2019/20, etc. Would be much more productive to just ask Evans to reconsider making the film instead of spreading a false hope on the fans whereby they just shut up and don’t ask Evans for it.
I got a nice “Raid 3” fix with The Night Comes for Us. 🙂 Im satisfied for now.
I’m sorry but what exactly are you trying to imply with “As the saying goes, Don’t forget who worked with you, when nobody wanted to work with you.”
when the Raid 3 was announced, i immediately thought “I can only Imagine how fucking insane it will be compared to the insanity of the second one” lol and I was stoked, but upon finding out the Raid 3 would not happen, I was pretty disappointed, but when The Night Comes For Us was released on Netflix, it TOTALLY made up for it in every way possible. I also would’ve been fine with the Raid 3 focusing on the gangs themselves (liberty City Stories focuses on the crime families but toni cipriani was the main character) but I also would’ve missed Rama being at the forefront
Sad news but we got closure from the ending of Raid 2.