null

A crowdfunding campaign for the sequel to the 2012 cult sci-fi film, Iron Sky, directed by Timo Vuorensola, has ended successfully, blowing past its goal of $150,000, raising $174,000 as of this post.

But this is just a fraction – about 1% of what will be a $15 million project. The $174,000 just raised will be used to produce: a full script for the film, a clear production plan including a budget, and a four to five minute promo reel to help with further funding, says the campaign page.

If they’ve managed to get this far (raising this much money to put into the very early stages of production), clearly there’s an audience interested in seeing the sequel, and the filmmakers will likely get all the money they need to make the film.

To be titled Iron Sky: The Coming Race, the sequel is described as a dark comedy poking fun at big-budget Hollywood sci-fi features, and is set to begin production in 2015.

As of the time of this post, 2 actors from the first film are attached to the sequel: Udo Kier and Stephanie Paul.

Of most interest to S&A is the actor who was essentially the hero of the first film, Christopher Kirby, the actor who played Mauser in the last 2 Matrix flicks, The Matrix Reloaded and The Matrix Revolutions.

Kirby played a character named James Washington, the “first African-American astronaut on the Moon,” where he meets the Moon Nazis played by his German co-stars – Gotz Otto and Julia Dietze.

Whether he’s returning for the sequel, we don’t know yet. After all, the script hasn’t even been written – although I’d guess the filmmakers have some idea of what the story will be.

But, as I said, his character was the first film’s hero, who “saves the day,” so you’d think he’d be back for the sequel. Unless the filmmakers plan to go in a completely different direction with the sequel.

I watched the original film months ago, not really expecting much, especially after reading reviews of it online, by those who saw it on the film festival circuit last year. And let’s just say that my expectations were met.

What I didn’t expect (since the marketing for the film doesn’t really tell you this) was just how involved Kirby’s character is in the whole narrative. I initially figured he was just a third wheel that would eventually come off, roll away and disappear. But he’s actually, for all intents and purposes, the hero of this film (definitely one of the two that “save the day”). AND, in the end, he gets the girl too, as you can see in the photo above – the girl being the other half that helps set the world right again… somewhat!

So, yes, he lives through the entire ordeal (although, he spends part of it in “white face” we could say).

So if I could give you one reason to watch it, that would be it! And also the fact that the film’s production design is strong. The visual effects are stunning, given the budget the filmmakers had to work with. Clearly, it’s technically sound.

However, I found the script lacking, unfortunately, and Kirby, at times, comes off as a bit of a buffoon. But that’s just from my POV. You may feel differently.

But I encourage you to take a look for yourselves, since it’s streaming on Netflix right now. It’s rare to see films like these with black people in leading roles. It doesn’t work entirely (the story and the characters – especially Kirby’s) but I don’t regret the experience.

Like I said, it’s streaming right now on Netflix if you’d like to take a chance on it.

The longer description of the first film reads:

Towards the end of World War II the Nazi scientists made a significant breakthrough in anti-gravity. From a secret base built in the Antarctic, the first Nazi spaceships were launched in late ‘45 to found the military base Schwarze Sonne (Black Sun) on the dark side of the Moon. This base was to build a powerful invasion fleet and return to take over the Earth once the time was right. Now it’s 2018, and it’s the time for the first American Moon landing since the 70′s. Meanwhile the Nazi invasion, that has been over 70 years in the making, is on its way, and the world is goose-stepping towards its doom. The three main characters of the story are Renate Richter (Julia Dietze), Klaus Adler (Götz Otto), and James Washington (Christopher Kirby).

Udo Kier plays the commander of a secret base of Moon Nazis.

I first profiled the sci-fi action/comedy film, about 3 years ago; it was a long journey for it, as the filmmakers worked on it piece by piece, according to however much funding they had for each during each stage of the process. Such is the the way of indie filmmaking.

Buzz about the film picked up when it was announced that it would finally make its world debut at the Berlin Film Festival in February of last year (2012), after 5 or more years in production (this is what happens when you’re making sci-fi parody without any real steady financial backing).

Directed by Timo Vuorensola, Iron Sky, was also actually partly financed by fans online (like the sequel will be.

Here’s a teaser trailer; and underneath, you’ll find a video of Kirby talking about his role in the film:

And here’s Kirby talking about his role in the film:

Here’s the poster: