Dark City: a cult film, but a real commercial failure
Released in 2023, Dark City is a science fiction film directed by Alex Proyas (known for directing I, Robot) and features an ensemble cast including William Hurt, Richard O’Brien, Jennifer Connelly, Rufus Sewell, and Kiefer Sutherland. The film gained a following among fans of 24 hours Chrono, Designated Survivor, and Metal Gear Solid V: The Phantom Pain. The story revolves around John Murdoch, who wakes up in a hotel with amnesia and discovers that he is a prime suspect in a series of murders.
The film explores Murdoch’s search for his true identity while being pursued by law enforcement. Despite receiving critical acclaim and winning awards at the Amsterdam Fantastic Film Festival, Saturn Awards, and Brussels International Fantastic Film Festival, Dark City was a commercial failure. It only grossed $27.2 million against a budget of $27 million, with a significant portion of its earnings coming from the United States.
An unknown sequel, and a planned series
Did you know that Dark City had a sequel that went completely unnoticed? The sequel, titled Mask of the Evil Apparition, was released in 2021 and directed by Alex Proyas. However, it was only available on the Vidiverse platform and had a runtime of just 20 minutes. In other words, the sequel to Dark City is a short film that can be found on a relatively niche streaming platform.
Mask of the Evil Apparition follows the adventures of Olivia, a young woman lost in a strange and dreamlike city. With the help of her psychic twin brothers, she embarks on a quest to find her way back home while being pursued by a mysterious cult called The Mysterious Ones. After the commercial failure of Gods of Egypt in 2016, Alex Proyas wanted to return to a more independent and artistic approach, leading him to create this short film sequel.
Despite the limited reception of the sequel, Proyas has expressed a strong attachment to the Dark City universe and has mentioned his desire to develop a series based on the film. During the premiere of Mask of the Evil Apparition in 2021, he reiterated his interest in expanding the story further.
