Cult Classic ’80s Sci-Fi Film Could Still Get a Sequel (but There’s One Problem)

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The latest effort to create a follow-up to the 1984 film “The Last Starfighter” is ongoing, yet it encounters an adversary more formidable than Xur and the Ko-Dan Armada: copyright laws. This past weekend, director Nick Castle shared updates with fans on his mission to bring forth a long-anticipated sequel to this iconic sci-fi movie at the Indiana Comic Convention. Similar to previous attempts over time, Castle explained that his current project is confronting a maze of legal complexities, as the rights to “The Last Starfighter” have been fragmented and distributed among multiple parties. While there’s still optimism, it’s becoming increasingly scarce.

1984 saw the debut of “The Last Starfighter,” which swiftly gained cult-classic status. In fan communities, its appeal grew over time as finding copies of the film became increasingly elusive. The original studio, Lorimar, ceased operations, leading to the rights to the movie being dispersed among different entities. Although Lorimar was eventually absorbed by Warner Bros., they only possess a portion of the copyright necessary to initiate a sequel.

In 2022, the planned sequel encountered a halt as stated by original screenwriter Jonathan R. Betuel on platform X. He had earlier expressed doubt to his followers about the sequel’s likelihood, despite numerous years of work put in by him and his team. Yet, this weekend, Castle shared with fans that he continues to persevere, with Betuel still by his side in the process.

As per a report by Slash Film, Castle and Betuel expressed strong opposition towards a reboot or remake of The Last Starfighter. Instead, they are working on a long-awaited sequel, where the same period of time has elapsed in that world as it has in ours – approximately four decades. During his talk, Castle was enthusiastic about the script, stating that it would balance attracting new fans while satisfying fans of the original. He aims for the sequel to be able to stand alone, with links to the original acting as optional Easter eggs for dedicated followers.

It’s not certain if Betuel began anew with this latest version, as he had previously collaborated with Gary Whitta, a co-writer for “Rogue One: A Star Wars Story”. Their script, allegedly titled “The Last Starfighters”, focused on Alex Rogan (Lance Guest) passing the mantle to a new group of space protectors, including his own descendants.

Currently, enthusiasts can merely cross their fingers and express their encouragement if they’re still holding out hope for this long-awaited sequel. As of now, the film The Last Starfighter can be rented or bought on PVOD platforms like Prime Video, Apple TV, and YouTube, but it is not accessible on any subscription-streaming services at present.

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2025-03-19 01:41