11 years after its release, a cult sci-fi thriller is getting a new follow-up movie from the original director

Coherence
(Image credit: Oscilloscope Laboratories)

A follow-up movie to cult sci-fi thriller Coherence is in the works, Deadline reports. Plot details are still top secret – including whether the movie will be a sequel, a prequel, or follow a different story entirely. Director James Ward Byrkit is back to helm the follow-up with original co-writer Alex Manugian, in whatever form it may take.

Released back in 2013, Coherence was a hit with critics (it holds a Rotten Tomatoes score of 88%) and has since attracted a cult following. The low-budget indie film, which was largely improvised, follows a group of eight friends at a dinner party who must deal with a series of strange and troubling events after a comet passes by, testing their grasp on reality and uncovering secrets. The cast includes Emily Baldoni, Buffy the Vampire Slayer's Nicholas Brendon, and Hustlers director Lorene Scafaria. 

"I’ve been inundated with pitches for sequels and offers for remakes ever since the film came out but nothing ever inspired us until [producer] Kate Andrews sent me an email with two words that unlocked the box," Byrkit said in a statement. "So either Kate’s a genius or she’s from a parallel reality where Alex and I already wrote this and she’s pitching us our own movie.”

Fans of the original movie responded positively to the news on Twitter. "Amazing!! I loved the first one!" wrote one viewer, while another echoed, "I REALLY ENJOYED THE FIRST MOVIE!! I hope it is set in a similar universe but with a different story and not a direct sequel." Another tweeted, "I don’t know how a sequel would work but generally I would love about 50 more films with this exact vibe." 

While we wait for more details on the Coherence follow-up, fill out your watch list with our picks of the best upcoming movies on the way in 2024. 

Entertainment Writer

I’m an Entertainment Writer here at 12DOVE, covering everything film and TV-related across the Total Film and SFX sections. I help bring you all the latest news and also the occasional feature too. I’ve previously written for publications like HuffPost and i-D after getting my NCTJ Diploma in Multimedia Journalism.