Taron Egerton Shares Disappointing Sequel Update for Netflix’s Second Most-Watched Movie

Taron Egerton recently spoke about the chances of a sequel to Carry-On, the 2024 Netflix thriller that became one of the streaming service’s biggest hits.

The film, set on Christmas Eve, tells the story of a TSA agent who faces a huge challenge when a traveler tries to blackmail him into letting a dangerous package through airport security. Carry-On was praised by critics and quickly became the second most-watched movie on Netflix.

In an interview with The Hollywood Reporter, Egerton was honest about the difficulty of making a follow-up.

He explained that the original movie was a celebration of Christmas and the people who work during the holidays, which makes creating a sequel tricky. Egerton said, “Carry-On 2 is really hard. It’s a celebration of Christmas and a celebration of people who work at Christmas. It then needs to have this huge plot that needs to be foiled and maybe the earwig component. All of that is quite hard to achieve in a sequel without it feeling contrived and to the point of defying credulity. So I have not heard anything, but who knows, stranger things have happened.”

The film, directed by Jaume Collet-Serra and written by T. J. Fixman, stars Egerton alongside Sofia Carson, Danielle Deadwyler, and Jason Bateman. It follows a young TSA officer, Ethan Kopek, played by Egerton, who gets caught in a dangerous game when a traveler, played by Bateman, blackmails him into helping smuggle a nerve agent onto a plane during the busy Christmas travel season.

Carry-On was released on Netflix on December 13, 2024. It received largely positive reviews and was praised for its fast-paced story and strong performances. Critics gave it an 88% approval rating on Rotten Tomatoes, with many highlighting the chemistry between Egerton and Bateman. The Rotten Tomatoes consensus described it as “a throwback thriller that clears all checkpoints of plot logic with its confident execution.” On Metacritic, the film scored 69 out of 100, indicating generally favorable reviews.

The movie was a big hit with viewers, too. Within just ten days of release, Carry-On had been watched 97 million times on Netflix. By January 2025, it had become the fifth most-watched English-language film on the platform, with over 149.5 million views. Its popularity shows that audiences were drawn to the holiday thriller’s mix of suspense and heart.

The film was produced by DreamWorks Pictures and released under the Amblin Entertainment banner. Despite being an action thriller, the story carries a strong festive theme, focusing on the challenges and dedication of people working during the holiday season.

While fans may be hoping for a sequel, Egerton’s comments suggest that any follow-up would need to carefully balance the original’s holiday spirit with an exciting new story. For now, he says there’s no official word on a second film, but he leaves the door open by saying, “who knows, stranger things have happened.”

In the meantime, Carry-On remains a standout holiday thriller on Netflix, combining action with a unique Christmas setting. Its success has made it one of the most popular movies of 2024, and fans will be watching closely to see if a sequel ever comes to life.

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