Lionsgate is set to continue the horror-comedy success story of The Blackening, with an exclusive announcement from Variety this afternoon confirming the sequel’s development.

Variety reports, “MRC and Lionsgate are in discussions with Dewayne Perkins, Tracy Oliver, and producer E. Brian Dobbins to craft the next installment in the franchise.”

With the initial film achieving an $18 million box office success against a mere $5 million production budget, the potential for The Blackening to evolve into a lucrative horror franchise, akin to the likes of Scary Movie, is apparent.

As details emerge about The Blackening 2, stay tuned for updates.

Premiering at the Toronto International Film Festival, The Blackening revolves around a group of friends celebrating Juneteenth with a weekend retreat, only to become trapped in a remote cabin with a deranged killer. Their struggle to survive takes a deadly turn as they navigate the killer’s twisted game.

Directed by Tim Story (known for Ride Along, Think Like A Man, Barbershop) and co-scripted by Tracy Oliver (Girls Trip, Harlem) and Dewayne Perkins (“The Amber Ruffin Show,” “Brooklyn Nine-Nine”), The Blackening satirizes genre conventions, posing the sardonic question: in a horror movie where the entire cast is Black, who meets their demise first?

In his 4-star TIFF review, Joe Lipsett remarked, “While not reaching the meta levels of Scream, The Blackening cleverly blends social commentary on the Black experience in modern America with classic slasher elements in an incredibly engaging manner.”

“The humor resonates, the violence is playful and often tongue-in-cheek, and the characters are endearing,” Lipsett’s review for BD continues. “In the world of slashers, that’s quite an accomplishment!”

The Blackening features Antoinette Robertson, Dewayne Perkins, Sinqua Walls, Grace Byers, X Mayo, Melvin Gregg, Jermaine Fowler, Yvonne Orji, and Jay Pharoah in its ensemble cast.