In news that’s both surprising and baffling in equal measure, we’ve gotten word that a sequel to 2013’s 47 Ronin is heading to Netflix.

According to Deadline, the new film is being penned by Lucifer star Aimee Garcia and best-selling author AJ Mendez, and will see Mulan’s Ron Yuan occupy the director’s chair, replacing the first film’s Carl Rinsch.

The original 2013 movie starred Keanu Reeves (John Wick) and Hiroyuki Sanada (Mortal Kombat), and followed the titular 47 ronin. It told a fictionalised version of the real ronin, a group of masterless samurai in 18th century Japan who set out to avenge their master’s death. To put it nicely, the film was not well received. It was universally panned by almost all who saw it, and failed to make back its estimated $200m budget (which, let’s be honest, is way too much for a movie like this).

And that’s why news of a sequel is so surprising: does anyone actually want to see this? People were hardly clamouring for it like they were Zack Snyder’s Justice League, so what’s the point?

Well, there could actually be a very good reason for it: given that the original is liked by precisely no one, it seems fairly likely that this new film will be a sequel in name only, and Garcia and Mendez do seem excited about it.

Garcia described it as a “diverse and inclusive action film,” while Mendez said the pair were “honoured to be part of a modern, multicultural story with powerful female leads.” All thoughts about the original aside, a diverse action movie written by two extremely capable women that promises to blend martial arts, horror, cyberpunk, and action? Now that’s something we can get on board with.

The untitled 47 Ronin sequel does not currently have a release date.

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