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Sound of Freedom director explains idea for sequel to controversial film
Director Alejandro Monteverde has said that sequel talks are already under way.
Angel Studios
- James Hibbs
Published: Tuesday, 15 August 2023 at 12:04 pm
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Controversial film Sound of Freedom has been a major success at the US box office, and as such it appears talks have already begun regarding a sequel.
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The first film has been billed as a true story following Jim Caviezel's Tim Ballard, a former US government agent and founder of anti-trafficking group Operation Underground Railroad.
The film’s writer-director Alejandro Monteverde recently spoke with Variety about its success and the controversies surrounding it, including the film being championed by supporters of the far-right conspiracy group QAnon, and Caviezel's previous comments referencing QAnon ideas.
During the interview, Monteverde was also asked about the chances of a sequel, to which he said: "There’s definitely a lot of interest to exploring [the subject] a little deeper, because this is just the tip of the iceberg.
"There’s a lot of interest to kind of explore Haiti, what’s happening in Haiti. There’s [sequel] talks focusing on Haiti."
Jim Caviezel in Sound of Freedom. Angel Studios
When asked whether Tim worked in Haiti or whether the film would be a spin-off focused on a different character, Monteverde said: "Haiti was a big part of Tim’s work. I was very tempted to do Haiti on this film. But I wanted to do an origin story, and it was too much material. I needed to end where I ended."
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During the same interview, Monteverde also revealed how he reacted to the negative press surrounding the film, to which he said: "I was like really sick. I was like, 'This is all wrong. That's not true.' It was heartbreaking when I saw all this polemic and all this controversy going on.
"My instinct was to run. I want to hide. I don't want to give any more interviews. Before the movie came out, I did a couple of interviews.
"Look, when you hire people, what they do on the free time, I can't control. I was a director. I wrote the screenplay. I hired the actor I thought was the best for this film."
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Angel Studios and Ballard have publicly denied that Sound of Freedom has any association with QAnon, with the studio's CEO Neal Harmon telling The New York Times: "Anybody who watches this film knows that this film is not about conspiracy theories."
If you're looking for more to watch, check out our TV Guide or visit our Film hub for all the latest news.
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Authors
James HibbsDrama Writer
James Hibbs is a Drama Writer for Radio Times, covering programmes across both streaming platforms and linear channels. He previously worked in PR, first for a B2B agency and subsequently for international TV production company Fremantle. He possesses a BA in English and Theatre Studies and an NCTJ Level 5 Diploma in Journalism.
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