The Cold War Continues: Why Atomic Blonde 2 Is Stuck In 'Rights Issues' Purgatory At Netflix

The highly anticipated sequel to the neon-drenched, bone-crunching spy thriller, Atomic Blonde 2, is currently trapped in a frustrating state of limbo, despite the star power of Charlize Theron and the backing of Netflix. As of this December 2025, the project—which was once confirmed to be actively in development—has hit a major roadblock, not due to lack of interest from its creators, but because of a complicated legal and financial "bottleneck" involving the film's intellectual property rights. This recent update from the original film's director, David Leitch, provides the most candid and concerning look yet at why Lorraine Broughton's next mission remains unconfirmed.

The original 2017 film, a stylish, brutal action spectacle often compared to the John Wick franchise (which Leitch co-directed), left fans clamoring for a continuation of MI6 agent Lorraine Broughton's story. While Theron and her production partners have been pushing for the sequel for years, the project's journey from Universal Pictures' Focus Features to its new potential home at Netflix has created a "gnarled mess" of ownership disputes that must be resolved before production can officially begin.

The Latest Update: A Bottleneck of Rights Issues

The most significant news regarding Atomic Blonde 2 came in late 2024, an update that was recently reiterated across entertainment news outlets in early 2025.

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Director David Leitch, known for his work on action hits like Deadpool 2 and Bullet Train, provided a frank assessment of the sequel's status. He confirmed that while everyone involved—from the creative team to the star—is eager to move forward, the project is stalled.

Leitch stated that the core problem lies in "unraveling rights issues" that arose when the intellectual property (IP) transitioned from Universal to Netflix.

The director noted that the project has become a "bottleneck of too many forces working against each other to try and get it made."

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This situation highlights a common, yet frustrating, hurdle in Hollywood, where the transfer of popular IP between major studios and streaming giants can lead to lengthy legal and financial wrangling over who controls the creative and monetary direction of the franchise.

The Development Timeline: From Theatrical Hit to Streaming Exclusive

To understand the current rights entanglement, it is necessary to look back at the sequel's development history:

• 2017: The original film, based on the graphic novel The Coldest City by Antony Johnston and Sam Hart, is released by Focus Features (a division of Universal Pictures). It grosses $100 million worldwide against a $30 million budget, making a sequel a strong possibility.
• 2018: Charlize Theron confirms that Atomic Blonde 2 is in active development.
• 2020: Theron, who is also a producer through her company Denver and Delilah Productions, announces that the sequel is being developed as a Netflix exclusive film. She confirms that a script is actively being written with the streaming service.
• 2020-2024: The project goes largely silent, leading to speculation.
• November 2024: David Leitch provides the crucial update, confirming the rights issues are the reason for the delay, despite the enthusiasm of the creative team.

This timeline shows the sequel was initially a high priority for Theron and her producing partner, Kelly McCormick, but the move to Netflix, while providing a clear path to a sequel, has inadvertently created the current legal quagmire.

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The Cast and Crew Waiting in the Wings

Should the rights issues be successfully untangled, the core creative team and star are poised for a return, ensuring the sequel maintains the hard-hitting, stylish tone of the original.

Charlize Theron as Lorraine Broughton

The entire franchise is anchored by Charlize Theron's performance as the elite MI6 spy, Lorraine Broughton.

Theron, an Oscar-winning actress, has cemented her status as an A-list action star through roles like Imperator Furiosa in Mad Max: Fury Road and Andy in the Netflix action film The Old Guard, which her production company also backed.

Her commitment to the physically demanding role of Broughton is unwavering, as she is also a producer on the sequel through Denver and Delilah Productions, making her return a near certainty.

Potential Returning Characters

Due to the high body count and the shocking twists of the first film, few characters are expected to return, but two key figures remain:

• Emmett Kurzfeld (John Goodman): The CIA agent and Lorraine's handler/mentor could potentially return, as his character survived the events of the original film.
• David Leitch (Director): Although his involvement is complicated by his busy schedule (including projects like The Fall Guy and How to Rob a Bank) and the rights issues, Leitch remains heavily interested in revisiting the world he helped create. His wife and producing partner, Kelly McCormick, is also expected to be involved as a producer.

Characters like David Percival (James McAvoy) and Delphine Lasalle (Sofia Boutella) were killed off in the first installment, meaning the sequel would introduce a new cast of allies and adversaries in the high-stakes world of espionage.

The Story Potential: Beyond the Berlin Wall

The original film concluded with the bombshell revelation that Lorraine Broughton was not just an MI6 agent, but a KGB double agent and, ultimately, a CIA triple agent known as "Satchel."

This twist effectively closes the chapter on the mystery of her identity but opens up a whole new world of possibilities for a sequel, which would likely pivot to a more straightforward, high-octane spy thriller format.

Exploring the Post-Soviet World

The original Atomic Blonde was set in 1989, just before the collapse of the Berlin Wall. A sequel could logically push the timeline into the 1990s, exploring the chaotic, post-Soviet Union world of espionage. This era was marked by the dissolution of the Soviet bloc, creating a power vacuum and new, dangerous geopolitical threats that would perfectly suit Lorraine Broughton's particular set of skills.

Adapting the Prequel Graphic Novel

Another strong possibility for the storyline is adapting the prequel graphic novel, *The Coldest Winter*, also written by Antony Johnston.

Focusing on a prequel story would allow the creative team to delve deeper into Lorraine's past and formative missions, perhaps showing the origins of her triple-agent status or her involvement in other key moments of the Cold War. This direction might also allow Theron to take on a more production-heavy role while still being the face of the franchise.

Original screenwriter Kurt Johnstad had previously expressed his vision for the story to be a trilogy, suggesting a wealth of material exists for future installments, provided the current rights impasse can be overcome.

The Legacy and Future of the Franchise

Despite the lack of a confirmed sequel, the original Atomic Blonde continues to find new audiences, recently trending high on streaming platforms like HBO Max in late 2025, nearly a decade after its theatrical release.

The film's critical success (79% on Rotten Tomatoes) and its status as a stylish, female-led action benchmark keep the demand for Atomic Blonde 2 alive.

The comparison to the John Wick universe is a key factor in the film's enduring popularity, as both franchises share David Leitch's distinctive style of visceral, meticulously choreographed action sequences.

For now, fans of Lorraine Broughton must remain patient. The future of Atomic Blonde 2 rests not on the creative vision or the star's willingness, but on the lawyers and executives who must ultimately "unwind" the complex web of rights. Until that bottleneck is cleared, the world's most dangerous spy remains on an unscheduled hiatus, waiting for the green light to return to action.