Orphan 3 Is Confirmed, With Isabelle Fuhrman As (Spoiler)
In a viral image that repeats itself in many horror groups on social networks, Isabelle Fuhrman, the star of the movie “Orphan,” is seen in a DVD store. Fuhrman makes a bemused face – open-mouthed Kristen Stewart-style – at the fact that the DVD of “Orphan” she’s holding is one of the classic films that happens to have a massive discount at the same store. Some posts came with captions that should go viral, like “When you find out that you are a horror classic.”
Even if it is not certain that “Orphan” is really a classic film, and indeed not its somehow disappointing sequel, it is, in the opinion of many horror fans, one of the more significant – and of course also surprising – films of the 2000s. As a result, Lionsgate’s announcement that the third film is in the works is far from unexpected.
Here’s everything we know about “Orphan 3,” including the most crucial fact: Esther is returning.
Don’t Spoil It: Orphan Movies Will Grow On You
Orpan (2009) – More Than A One Twist Movie
“Orphan” from 2009 is one of those films that should be approached with as little knowledge as possible, certainly regarding the fact that there is a particular and surprising twist in the film.
Nevertheless, we will tell you a little about the film, because after all, something like 15 years has passed since it hit the screens and scored a pretty success with almost 78 million dollars worldwide. Critics also loved it, at least relative to the horror films slaughtered one after the other as if they were characters in a slasher, with 60% positive reviews on Rotten Tomatoes. The audience also raved about the film, with a rating of 7.0 out of 10 on IMDB, an unusual score for a horror film.
“Orphan” was directed by the Spaniard Jaume Collet-Serra (the remake of “House of Wax,” “Jungle Cruise” and several routine action-thrillers when Liam Neeson is doing the same role), according to a screenplay by David Leslie Johnson, based on a story by Alex Mace. The protagonists are Kate (horror idol Vera Farmiga, Lorraine Warren in the cinematic universe of “The Conjuring” and, as it turns out, a pretty good rock singer either) and John (Peter Sarsgaard, “The Skelton Key,” “The Walking Dead,” “Boys Don’t Cry”), who experience a silent birth. They decide to add to their family, which includes two children, also a 9-year-old Russian girl named Esther (Fuhrman, “The Hunger Games”, “Escape Room: Tournament of Champions“).
Very quickly, strange things begin to happen around Esther, such as mysterious falls from a slide of a girl who bullied her or a brutal murder of the nurse who headed Esther’s orphanage. The parents begin to suspect that “there is something wrong with Esther” wildly when she starts behaving like a mature woman for her age and tries, for example, to seduce the husband. The film builds the tension gradually, thanks to the cast’s excellent performances, led by Fuhrman, until the moment of discovery. We will not refer here to the twist and discover what is wrong with Esther, but it is excellent.
Orphan: First Kill (2022) – The Prequel That Didn’t Contribute Too Much
“Orphan: First Kill” faced a complex task: to prove that the first “Orphan” is more than a movie with a twist. It arrived in 2022, 13 years after the first film, and was a prequel: a film created after a specific work but describing events that occurred before those expressed in this work.
It is almost impossible to refer to the plot of “Orphan: First Kill” without revealing the twist of the first film, but in general, we will mention that it presents the story of Esther, or whoever she is (oops!), before she arrived at the orphanage. The film shows how Eshter became who she is and what she does to a family that thought she was someone else. Of course, without revealing too much, we’ll note that presenting Isabelle Fuhrman at such an age was a complex task, done with the help of make-up, perspective photography, and duplicating, but without computer effects.
According to reports, one of the reasons for the production of the sequel is an actual and quite similar case that happened in real life a few years earlier, receiving some significant attention in the news (including references to the apparent resemblance to the movie “Orphan” and also to a six-part documentary series called “The Curious Case of Natalia Grace: Natalia Speaks.”
Fuhrman said she received many messages about the obvious similarity, which made her inquire about a sequel with the creators. Then, she realized there was already a script. Fuhrman wanted to act as a producer, at most with a guest appearance, when a different actress would play the role of Esther. We believe she also served as one of the screenwriters without credit.
“Orphan: First Kill” was directed by William Burnett Bell, whose resume includes mainly horror films: the films “The Boy” about the creepy doll named Brahms, “Separation,” “The Devil Inside,” and more. Although the cast includes names like Julia Stiles and Rossif Sutherland, who do the job, it falls short of its predecessor in almost every aspect. It received more negative reviews from viewers (5.9 user rating on IMDB) and also grossed less at the box office (about $37 million), but critics liked it for the most part, with 70% positive reviews on Rotten Tomatoes.
What Do We Know About Orphan 3?
The bottom line is that these figures, the answer to the question will there be an “Orphan 3” looked positive right from the start.
So we got the greenlight news, but the hidden is still much more than the visible when it comes to “Orphan 3”. We are still determining when the story will take place, but there is already some encouraging news.
Cast Of Orphan 3
Like “Orphan: First Kill,” William Brent Bell will be behind the camera, and David Cogshall will write the script. The most significant news is that Esther will be played again by Isabelle Fuhrman, who is returning to the role that established her as a legitimate horror actress – even if we still don’t know which version of Esther she will reveal, and what efforts will be required for the talented 27-year-old actress to play a… um… girl again.
Dark Castle Entertainment will produce the film, while Lionsgate will distribute it. “Dark Castle is excited to announce another terrifying chapter in the Orphan saga.,” reads a statement released by the company. With the past success of the first two movies and another thrilling storyline, we are confident that “Orphan 3″ will be a must-see movie for both current fans of the franchise and new fans alike.”
Orphan 3 Release Date
We are yet to know when is “Orphan 3” coming out, but a solid guess is that it won’t happen before 2026.
You will probably have to wait a lot before the “Orphan 3” trailer, but maybe in 2025, we will get a teaser trailer or something.
Should we wait for it? Although I’m skeptical about sequels, prequels, and everything beyond, movies like “Smile 2,” which is now in theaters, show that now and then, you manage to innovate and create a film that surpasses its predecessor. Who knows, maybe in the case of “Orphan 3,” we will get a film that will better explain why the franchise can be defined as a “horror classic,” even if Isabelle Fuhrman herself will be shocked by this definition.
