Alex Pettyfer Gives Honest Answer About Why I Am Number Four 2 Didn’t Happen

Actor Alex Pettyfer gave an honest answer to why he thinks a sequel to 2011’s I Am Number Four has never happened. Pettyfer first made a name for himself by starring in an adaptation of the Alex Rider young adult spy series, Stormbreaker. A few years later, he starred in I Am Number Four before moving on to Magic Mike, which served as a launching pad kind of role for the actor. Pettyfer played John Smith in I Am Number Four, which was directed by DJ Caruso and co-starring Dianna Agron, Teresa Palmer, and Timothy Olyphant.

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In 2018, Pettyfer acted in and directed the indie thriller Back Roads, which co-starred Juliette Lewis, Jennifer Morrison, and Robert Patrick. While Pettyfer’s career hit some roadblocks, one film that continues to come back to him is I Am Number Four, which has gained a bit of a cult following, with fans often inquiring about a sequel. The book is the first chapter in the Lorien Legacies series of novels, which focuses on human-looking aliens with superpowers fighting off another extraterrestrial species on Earth.  The film was a decent hit at the box office, and reviews were low-to-middling. However, with the book series continuing the Lorien Legacies, fans have been hoping to see the story continued in live-action form.

Related: I Am Number Four Updates: Will A Sequel Happen?

While speaking to Screen Rant, Pettyfer said he enjoyed making the movie and was hopeful for a sequel. Still, during the time of release, the slate of Dreamworks films at the box office failed to perform, which essentially wiped the slate clean moving forward with new properties. Here’s what Pettyfer had to say about why no sequel was made and likely won’t be:

“I know. I wish we could have made a sequel to I Am Number Four. I really loved making that movie. You had Steven Spielberg as the producer, you had Michael Bay as a producer, DJ Caruso, but I think they tried something on that movie, and I’m being very honest, where the book, which was written by Pittacus Lore, which was James Frey basically, they tried some really interesting, creative publicity where the film and the book are released at the same time. I think that at the time, Dreamworks had War Horse, they had Hugh Jackman did that robot movie, and there was one other film. And I think just as a collective slate, maybe the movies didn’t perform as well as they should have. And so the slate was kind of wiped clean for Dreamworks to start again with a new slate relationship with funding. I really loved I Am Number Four, and I loved working with DJ, and I loved that concept and that kind of alienation of an outsider, people not accepting you for who you are. I know that movie or that franchise would have gone into a much mature … and the evolution of that would, I definitely know that because DJ was showing me, but we can dream, should we say.”

Pettyfer is currently starring in Marianna Palka’s latest effort, Collection, and has several projects lined up. He has a role in the sci-fi feature Warning with Thomas Jane and Alice Eve, in the crime/drama The Chelsea Cowboy, and a James Joyce biopic with Aiden Gillan called James and Lucia. Since emerging on the scene, Pettyfer has remained consistently busy but has yet to reach the heights of a hit like Magic Mike since that time.

While no plans appear to be in place to continue the Lorien Legacies in live-action, much has changed since 2011, namely the advent of streaming platforms. If a film sequel isn’t likely, perhaps I Am Number Four would fare better for a series remake on a streamer, which could effectively relaunch the series and open it up for more potential. With all platforms looking for sustainable multi-season shows with a built-in audience, it seems like the Lorien Legacies would be a great fit. However, it’s unlikely it would be with any original actors from I Am Number Four.

Next: Everything That Went Wrong With I Am Number Four