Abigail‘s box office haul for Universal was far better than their two most recent vampire failures, and the movie was applauded by critics and fans for its fresh take on a worn-out corner of horror. Star Melissa Barrera has discussed the possibility of a sequel, and with Universal longing for a way to properly utilize its valuable Classic Monsters IP, it makes sense that a franchise would be explored. Unfortunately, there is one unavoidable problem that Universal will need to contend with if a franchise based on Abigail is to ever come to pass.
Abigail’s Age Makes A Franchise Very Difficult
The character is supposed to be a child permanently
Abigail has plenty of franchise potential, with its two young stars both surviving the brutal slew of deaths that take place and a concept and backstory in place. Unfortunately, one of the major details of the character of Abigail is that she is centuries old, but will forever appear as a young girl because that was her age when she was turned into a vampire. That makes the development of a franchise extremely difficult, as actress Alisha Weir, who plays Abigail, will obviously age with time.
While she is currently only 14 or 15 years old, it will become increasingly difficult for Weir to pass as a young teen. Makeup and slight CGI can certainly work wonders, but at a certain point it becomes impractical, especially in what would presumably be a very physical role. A room full of Hollywood writers could undoubtedly come up with a story-based reason why she would suddenly start aging, but that would feel cheap and forced after establishing it as an essential part of her character.
Abigail 2 Can’t Replace Alisha Weir
The young actress was the strongest part of the movie
One possible way to address Alisha Weir’s aging would be to recast the character of Abigail, but that’s essentially a non-starter. Alisha Weir received near-universal acclaim for her ability to transition between devilish aggression and saccharine calm, as she drove both the horror and comedy elements of the narrative. If Abigail2 is ever to happen, it needs to have Alisha Weir at its center, regardless of whether Barrera or the rest of the cast return.
The best way to skirt the obstacle of Weir’s age is to commit to a sequel as soon as possible, and have her return as Abigail within the next couple of years. Along with the aforementioned makeup and CGI, there is typically a measure of understanding on the part of the modern audience when it comes to physical changes to an actor, so it won’t be a massive problem if Weir does appear to have aged a little bit. Still, it would behoove Universal to put a sequel, and potentially a franchise, in motion in short order.
Abigail’s Aging Problem Is Bad News For Universal
Universal’s classic monsters haven’t fared well recently
Universal has really struggled to get their Classic Monsters to connect with modern audiences, especially Dracula. They’ve had some spectacular failures in just the last few years, with Renfield and The Last Voyage of the Demeter both qualifying as bombs. Their last big swing with the character of Dracula was Dracula Untold, starring Luke Evans in the title role. That film might have kicked off Universal’s Dark Universe, but it was a massive critical failure. The Dark Universe was next planned to begin with 2017’s The Mummy, but that too was a bomb, and the interconnected cinematic universe was shelved.
Abigail was originally titled Dracula’s Daughter after the 1936 movie the concept was based on, but was altered along the way in congruence with the decision to make stand-alone films with the Universal Classic Monsters IP.
Abigail was clearly positioned as Dracula’s daughter in Abigail, even if it was never explicitly stated. She could have been the perfect launch point for a franchise that explored the lore surrounding Dracula, but from the new and exciting viewpoint of his young daughter. It could have been the perfect way to reboot the Dark Universe, with the other Classic Monsters spinning into and out of Abigail’s narrative. Unfortunately, Universal may have to find another way to get their mega movie monster mash-up off the ground, as the aging problems imposed by Abigail may end this franchise before it begins.
