It seems that people really, really want a sequel to 'Alita Battle Angel'.
The 2019 cyberpunk sci fi feature hit theatres last year. It followed the eponymous cyborg Alita (Rosa Salazar) who wakes up with amnesia and gradually comes to discover what she was built for.
The feature packed quite a cast between Christoph Waltz, Jennifer Connolly, Mahershala Ali and Ed Skrein. But in terms of box office and reviews, it got a mixed reception.
Domestically, it failed to impress, just about breaking even on its marketing budget. But in worldwide receipts, the film fared much better.
Reviews too were about half positive, half negative, and it seems that for all the people not bothered with it, 'Alita Battle Angel' also inspired some die hard fans.
What began as a change.org campaign and hashtags on social media has gone further again.
During the Oscars, a banner which read "#AlitaSequel #AlitaArmy" flew overhead in Los Angeles.
There has been talk of a sequel for a while now. And the ending to the original film neatly set up a follow-up with Edward Norton appearing in a cameo role.
But the problems with it going ahead is two-fold.
Firstly, there's the issue of director James Cameron being the man behind the scenes. He's too distracted with his 'Avatar' sequels right now to remember little 'Alita'.
Second, the film was originally 20th Century Fox but has now come under the umbrella of the Walt Disney Company. And with all the new franchises they have inherited under the Fox deal, 'Alita' could be left by the wayside.
