Ready Player Two – Is It Happening?

(Minor spoilers here.) Given that a “Ready Player Two” film would be based on, y’know, a book, we already have some semblance of what the story of the movie could dive into. In the novel, something thought to be impossible becomes reality: OASIS Neural Interface, a version of the OASIS virtual-reality technology that can actually infiltrate users’ minds and affect them physically. Naturally, this sparks a lot of controversy, especially as artificial intelligence personifies itself and threatens not only the pixelated world of the OASIS, but its very real users. Such topics are uncannily timely in today’s socioeconomic climate.

Beyond heavy philosophy, “Ready Player Two” the novel includes virtual OASIS worlds that pay tribute to Prince, director/screenwriter John Hughes, and other iconic figures and stories from across entertainment history, all of which would be fun to see materialized onscreen. Can you imagine a fever-dream musical sequence of Prince’s greatest hits depicted in some sort of obstacle course-style challenge? Or getting to see the iconic sets of films like “The Breakfast Club” or “Ferris Bueller’s Day Off” on the big screen again?

Furthermore, in the first film, Steven Spielberg added a sequence taking place inside the classic horror film “The Shining.” It’s a cool, reverential scene not found in the “Ready Player One” novel. Should Spielberg return to direct “Ready Player Two,” it’s within reason to imagine he might introduce other well-crafted tributes to cinema favorites not featured in the book. It’s also safe to assume the director would continue to push technological boundaries forward both in ways the audience can perceive and behind the scenes.