• Home
  • Reviews
  • Interviews
  • Lists
    • Yearly Top Tens
    • Trailers
    • Contact
    • Hire Me
    • About
Menu

World of Reel

Street Address
City, State, Zip
Phone Number
Home
‘Avengers: Doomsday’ Delayed to December 2026
IMG_5540.jpg
Michael Jackson Biopic Delayed (Again), Now Eyeing a Post-2026 Release—Maybe Even Two Parts
IMG_5538.jpg
Critics Puzzled by ‘Ballerina’ Embargo — Only “Enthusiastic” Reactions Allowed
IMG_5535.jpg
Three Films to Go and Still No Clear Palme d’Or Front-Runner [Cannes]
IMG_5530.jpg
Neon Acquires Jafar Panahi’s ‘It Was Just An Accident,’ Eyes Sixth Consecutive Palme d’Or [Cannes]
Featured
Capture.PNG
Aug 19, 2019
3-Hour ‘Midsommar' Director's Cut Screened in NYC
Aug 19, 2019

This year’s 12th edition of the Scary Movies festival at Film at Lincoln Center premiered Ari Aster’s extended version of “Midsommar” this past Saturday.

Aug 19, 2019

World of Reel

  • Home
  • Reviews
  • Interviews
  • Lists
  • More
    • Yearly Top Tens
    • Trailers
  • About
    • Contact
    • Hire Me
    • About

‘Contagion' Screenwriter Exploring “Terrifying" Sequel Idea

April 15, 2025 Jordan Ruimy

Back in 2020, as the COVID-19 virus began spreading from mainland China to other countries around the world, Steven Soderbergh’s 2011 thriller “Contagion” went viral, gaining a renewed and unsettling relevance.

According to Warner Bros., the film—written by Scott Z. Burns—was ranked No. 270 among its catalog titles at the start of 2020. But by February, it had become their most-watched title. By March, “Contagion” was the seventh most popular film on iTunes, with average daily visits to piracy websites increasing by 5,000%.

Talk of a sequel has intensified in recent years, with even Soderbergh admitting, this past January, that he and Burns have developed a “terrifying” idea for the next film. By all accounts, it sounds like Soderbergh and Burns are dead-serious about making a sequel, albeit one that significantly distances itself from COVID-19.

Now, in a new Audible original series titled “What Could Go Wrong?”, Burns explores whether AI could help craft a sequel to “Contagion.” Blending personal reflection, industry insight, and direct experimentation with AI tools, Burns examines how technology might aid—or disrupt—the creative process.

The idea for the series took root during the COVID-19 pandemic, when interest in “Contagion” resurged. Struggling with writer’s block, Burns turned to a generative AI chatbot named Lexter, programmed to act like a clever and enigmatic ex-film critic. When Burns asked Lexter to help imagine a sequel to “Contagion,” the response he received was unexpectedly compelling.

“Contagion” reunited Soderbergh with long-time screenwriting partner Scott Z. Burns for a thought-provoking and tense medical thriller that explored not only the serious nature of a worldwide pandemic but also the urgent response needed from the scientific community to find a vaccine. It was an undeniably frightening movie—especially when viewed through the lens of 2020.

The fictional virus featured in the film, MEV-1, also originated in Asia and was easily transmitted through touch. However, MEV-1 was far more lethal than COVID-19, killing 26 million people worldwide. The virus in “Contagion” was a perplexing one—resisting isolation, spreading like wildfire, and highly deadly. At the film’s end, Soderbergh includes a brief explanation of where the virus may have originated, showing the very few degrees of separation between its source and “patient zero,” portrayed by Gwyneth Paltrow.

Much like he did in “Traffic,” Soderbergh skillfully told the story through a mosaic of characters, their lives interwoven through professional and casual interactions. The way Soderbergh and Burns depicted the global reactions of scientists, citizens, conspiracy-driven bloggers, and politicians alike made “Contagion” feel eerily similar to the real-world events of 2020.

← A24 Acquires Jesse Eisenberg's Next Film, Starring Julianne Moore & Paul Giamatti‘Home Alone 2' Director Wants Donald Trump Cameo Removed →

FOLLOW US!


Trending

Featured
IMG_5403.jpg
Ari Aster’s ‘Eddington’ POLARIZES; Starts as Satire, Ends in Horror — Not Everyone’s Buying It [Cannes]
IMG_5383.jpg
‘Sirat’ Screens — Surreal, Chaotic and Unsettling [Cannes]
IMG_5352.jpg
‘Mission: Impossible 8’ Review Embargo Breaks — It’s A Mess [Cannes]
IMG_5328.jpg
‘Sound of Falling’ Gets Bogged Down by Heavy Symbolism [Cannes]
IMG_4571.jpg
David Fincher & Brad Pitt Reunite for ‘The Continuing Adventures of Cliff Booth' + Plot Details

Critics Polls

Featured
Capture.PNG
Critics Poll: ‘Vertigo’ Named Best Film of the 1950s, Over 120 Participants
B16BAC21-5652-44F6-9E83-A1A5C5DF61D7.jpeg
Critics Poll: Kubrick’s ‘2001: A Space Odyssey’ Tops Our 1960s Critics Poll
Capture.PNG
Critics Poll: ‘The Godfather’ Named Best Movie of the 1970s
public.jpeg
Critics Poll: ‘Do the Right Thing' Named Best Movie of the 1980s
Critics Poll: ‘Mulholland Drive' Named Best Film of the 2000s
g4.jpg
Critics' Poll: ‘Goodfellas' Named Best Movie of the 1990s
Critics Poll: ‘Mad Max: Fury Road' Named Best Movie of the 2010s
World of Reel tagline.PNG
 

Content

Contribute

Hire me

 

Support

Advertise

Donate

 

About

Team

Contact

Privacy Policy

Site designed by Jordan Ruimy © 2023