These days, movie fans are constantly bombarded with trailers, posters, and new information about all kinds of tentpole franchise films. On the flip side, however, there are a few upcoming movies that have managed to fly under the radar. From sci-fi epics to action-packed thrillers, here are some of the sequels you might not know are being made.

After years of speculation that a fourth Matrix film was in the works, Variety broke the news in August 2019 that a new instalment in the series was indeed on the horizon, and that, despite previous rumors, it wouldn't be following a new character after all. Original stars Keanu Reeves and Carrie Ann Moss will be returning for The Matrix 4, along with original writer and director Lana Wachowski. 

And while Wachowski may have partnered with her sister Lilly to make the first three Matrix movies, the fourth installment will have only the one Wachowski at the helm. In addition to Wachowski, the script for The Matrix 4 will be co-written by Aleksandar Hemon and David Mitchell, and is set to start production in early 2020. No plot details have yet been revealed for the movie, and it isn't yet clear how the film plans to incorporate Moss' or Reeves' characters, who were killed in the third film in the franchise, The Matrix Revolutions. It is equally unclear whether Laurence Fishburne's character, Morpheus, will be making an appearance. Some sources have speculated that he may be recast in order to appear as a younger version of the character, but that remains speculation for now. 

James Cameron has been talking about his Avatar sequels almost from the moment the first film exploded onto screens in 2009, smashing box office records and eventually becoming the highest-grossing film of all time. However, despite years of Cameron's repeated promises of a vast and expansive Avatar franchise, it was beginning to feel as though a follow-up was as far off and unreachable as the moon of Pandora itself. 

But believe it or not, four more Avatars really do appear to be imminent. In fact, according to Sigourney Weaver, the first two have already finished shooting. They've even got titles: Avatar: The Way of Water, Avatar: The Seed Bearer, Avatar: The Tulkun Rider, and Avatar: The Quest for Eywa. 

What does it all mean? Well, no one knows, except James Cameron himself and his eclectic cast, which, in addition to the original movie's stars, also features a host of newcomers, including Edie Falco, Kate Winslet, Michelle Yeoh, Jemaine Clement, and Vin Diesel. Everyone else will have to wait until the end of 2021 to find out. Avatar: The Way of Water is scheduled for release on December 17th 2021, with Avatar: The Seed Bearer arriving on December 22nd 2023, Avatar: The Tulkun Rider following on December 19th 2025, and Avatar: The Quest for Eywa concluding the franchise on December 17th 2027.

As the crew of the Nostromo learned the hard way all the way back in 1979, it's pretty hard to kill an Alien, and the Alien franchise seems just as tough as the creature itself. Reflecting on his landmark sci-fi horror film on its 40th anniversary, director Ridley Scott told Variety that a third prequel is indeed on the way, intended as a follow-up to 2012's Prometheus and 2017's Alien: Covenant. Despite generally positive critical reviews, Covenant underperformed at the box office, throwing the future of the franchise into uncertainty. But following Disney's acquisition of Fox, both Scott and Alien's new studio home seem eager to return to the sinister stars yet again. 

As for what this third prequel might be about, only one thing is for sure: it won't follow the format of the original Alien. Speaking to The Hollywood Reporter, Scott talked about the need for the franchise to continue to evolve in order to succeed. He said:

"You can't keep repeating [the same premise] because the joke gets boring."

This next Alien film, tentatively titled Alien: Awakening, is still in the very early stages, and none of the cast of Covenant has yet been asked to return. Still, Scott maintains three things: it's happening, he'll be directing it, and it's currently in the script phase.

Keep watching the video to find out more upcoming movie sequels that will get you hyped!

#ComingSoon #MovieSequels

The Matrix 4 | 0:20
Avatar 2, 3, 4 and 5 | 1:25
Alien: Awakening | 2:44
Indiana Jones 5 | 3:54
Kill Bill Vol. 3 | 5:10
Sherlock Holmes 3 | 6:11
The Hitman's Wife's Bodyguard | 7:02
RoboCop Returns | 8:07
Bando | 9:34
The Expendables 4 | 10:41
The Ballad of Songbirds and Snakes | 11:52
Big Trouble in Little China 2 | 12:55
The Jesus Rolls | 14:10
Space Jam 2 | 15:21