2020 was a rough year for cinema. But what was a loss for theater halls turned out to be a huge gain for streaming platforms, which for the first time ever became the main source for new movies. Netflix's action-adventure film Extraction became a breakout hit, guaranteeing a slew of sequels and spinoffs. In an interview with Collider, Extraction director Sam Hargrave confirmed that Extraction 2 is still on track to begin filming in 2021 if health conditions allow.

"[That's] still the case [that Extraction 2 would film in the fall of this year], COVID-pending. That's kind of everyone's little caveat right now, but we're moving forward on it as if we're shooting in the fall. [Writer and producer] Joe [Russo] is still finalizing the script. We're all excited to read it. I've read different iterations, but I'm excited to read what he turns in. We're all looking forward to getting back in the saddle and hopefully bringing another action-packed adventure in the 'Extraction' universe."

Extraction was an important movie for lead actor Chris Hemsworth, since the film became his first significant hit outside of the MCU. The film drew comparisons to John Wick since both movies feature a supernaturally talented mercenary central figure who feels conflicted about the violent life he leads.

Another point of similarity between the two films is that they created a new standard for gritty, hand-to-hand action sequences, and practical stunt work. For Extraction 2, Sam Hargrave explained that he is always on the lookout for designing exciting new action scenes to be included in the upcoming film.

"We talked about that extensively. Truthfully, I always walk around my house or walk around town looking for ways to do something fun or different with action. I kind of think as if there's a camera behind my eyes all the time like, 'What would be an interesting way capture this?', 'Oh, that'd be cool.' So I'm always cataloguing and trying to get different, fun ways to capture action and different action set pieces that would be great. Joe and I talked a lot about that, pitched some ideas, bounced them around, and I'm just excited for the challenge."

While the cast and crew of Extraction have frequently expressed their enthusiasm for starting work on the sequel as soon as possible, Netflix might have other ideas. The streaming giant recently axed a few shows and movies that were deemed difficult to shoot outdoors keeping social distancing measures in place. For a big movie like Extraction 2 which is guaranteed to require hundreds of people working in close proximity, the health challenges are going to be even more complex.

Hopefully, the production house will be able to find some way to start work on Extraction 2 sooner rather than later. Directed by Sam Hargrave and written by Joe Russo, Extraction stars Chris Hemsworth, Rudhraksh Jaiswal, Manoj Bajpayee, Randeep Hooda, Pankaj Tripathi, Derek Luke, Marc Donato, and David Harbour. It is currently available on Netflix. This news arrives from Collider.