Two Sequels Were Robbed from This Chilling 2000s Thriller Starring Kevin Costner as a Serial Killer
Kevin Costner’s Chilling Thriller ‘Mr. Brooks’ Was Meant to Start a Trilogy — But the Sequels Never Happened
Academy Award-winning actor and director Kevin Costner has built a legacy on his carefully curated roles, often avoiding franchises and sequels in favor of meaningful, self-contained stories. While Costner has never reprised a character in a direct sequel (excluding his multi-part Horizon saga and a brief archival cameo in Justice League), he came close on a few occasions. One of the most intriguing near-misses? A planned trilogy following his 2007 psychological thriller Mr. Brooks.
Following the massive success of The Bodyguard in 1992, Costner considered a sequel that would have starred Princess Diana — an idea tragically halted by her untimely death. Years later, Mr. Brooks offered another chance to break his “no sequels” streak. The film allowed Costner to stretch outside his usual “good guy” persona, delivering what many consider one of the most underrated performances of his career.
Kevin Costner Plays Against Type in Mr. Brooks, a Chilling 2000s Thriller
In Mr. Brooks, Costner plays Earl Brooks — a respected businessman, devoted husband, and doting father with a monstrous secret. Unbeknownst to his family, Brooks lives a double life as a calculating serial killer, goaded on by his manipulative alter ego, Marshall (played to eerie perfection by William Hurt). When Brooks is blackmailed by an amateur photographer (Dane Cook), he’s forced to mentor the voyeuristic stranger in the deadly craft, all while hiding his urges from his increasingly suspicious daughter Jane (Danielle Panabaker), who may share more with her father than he’s willing to admit.
Released in summer 2007 against box office titans like Pirates of the Caribbean: At World’s End and Shrek the Third, Mr. Brooks struggled to find a wide audience. The film earned $28.5 million domestically on a $20 million budget (before marketing), and critics were lukewarm — the film holds a 58% rating on Rotten Tomatoes. Despite this, the movie quietly gained cult status for its layered performances, tense psychological storytelling, and Costner’s chilling portrayal of a man at war with himself.
With its twist-filled script, noir-like tone, and a unique exploration of dual identities — in the vein of Showtime’s Dexter, which was wildly popular at the time — Mr. Brooks felt ripe for franchise potential. Costner’s performance was a revelation, showing a darker side rarely seen from the actor, while also setting up a fascinating character arc with his daughter Jane.
Two Sequels Were Planned — And Sounded Even More Twisted
Mr. Brooks ends on a chilling note. In what seems like a surreal passing of the torch, Jane murders her father in his sleep and tries on his glasses — only for the moment to be revealed as a nightmare. The ambiguity left room for interpretation, but more importantly, it hinted that the story wasn’t over.
Director and co-writer Bruce A. Evans revealed plans for a full trilogy. The second film would have expanded Mr. Brooks’ obsession with Detective Tracy Atwood (played by Demi Moore), the determined cop pursuing him throughout the original movie. Brooks saw Atwood as the daughter he wished he had — intelligent, disciplined, and morally grounded — a stark contrast to his real daughter Jane, who showed signs of inheriting his murderous instincts.
“He was impressed with her. It wasn’t a love story. He saw her as the daughter he’d always wanted. He’s tortured by his relationship with his own daughter… whereas [Atwood] represents who he had always wanted as a daughter,” Evans explained.
The third film would’ve taken the family drama to new extremes, centering on Jane framing her father for a murder he didn’t commit. It would have concluded with a tragic, symbolic ending — Earl driving himself and Jane off a pier, ending both of their lives in a final act of despair.
Unfortunately, these sequels never progressed past the idea stage.
What Went Wrong? Why the Mr. Brooks Trilogy Was Killed
So why didn’t these dark, compelling sequels happen?
The biggest obstacle was legal and financial. According to Evans, Mr. Brooks was initially backed by a single financier. But over time, the rights were split and sold off to multiple investors. This created a confusing tangle of ownership — and with no clear rights holder, producing a follow-up became a legal headache.
Add to that the film’s modest box office performance and lukewarm critical reception, and studios weren’t exactly clamoring for a sequel, despite the potential.
A Missed Opportunity for One of Costner’s Most Fascinating Roles
In retrospect, it’s easy to see why Mr. Brooks deserved a second (and third) installment. It stood out among the 2000s’ crowded field of serial killer stories by offering a uniquely introspective, character-driven take on the genre. Costner’s transformation from noble everyman to charming psychopath was genuinely chilling, and the character’s evolution had so much room to grow.
Though the sequels never came to be, Mr. Brooks remains a standout in Costner’s filmography — a dark, daring detour from the heroic roles that made him famous. And for fans of intelligent psychological thrillers, it’s one of the best hidden gems of its decade.
