Orphan 3 is officially in the works with Isabelle Fuhrman set to return as Esther

There is good news for horror movie lovers. Psychological/ horror thriller Orphan 3 is now officially in the works, as per a November 4, 2024 report by Deadline. The report states that the third movie of the Orphan franchise has now been ‘officially greenlit.’

There have been no details revealed about the plot of the film yet, however. Director William Brent Bell will return to the franchise to direct this film. Lionsgate will be handling international sales for this psychological horror threequel, as per reports.

David Coggeshall will helm his duties as the writer one more time for the franchise and David Leslie Johnson-McGoldrick will play the role of the executive producer.

---

Everything we know so far about Orphan 3

Isabelle Fuhrman will reprise her role as Esther in Orphan 3, as per Deadline. She will continue playing the murderous girl, who acts like a nine-year-old and goes on a killing spree. The film will be produced by Dark Castle along with Alex Mace of Gnosis Films.

Orphan 3 was officially confirmed back in 2023. William Brent Bell, the director, had revealed to The Hollywood Reporter in December last year that:

"We’re developing a third one now. The franchise’s rulebook has been opened up to where anything is possible. And knowing where we are in the process already, I’m extremely excited about the twists and turns that we have in store."

With the recent announcement made by Norman Golightly, it is now clear that production will begin sooner than expected. The announcement recently made by Golightly (Co-CEO of Dark Castle Entertainment) reads:

“Dark Castle is excited to announce another terrifying chapter in the ‘Orphan’ saga. With the past success of the first two movies and another thrilling storyline, we are confident that ‘Orphan 3’ will be a must-see movie for both current fans of the franchise, and new fans alike.”

Additional cast details and release date have not been revealed yet. More news is expected in the coming weeks.

---

How to watch Orphan in order?

A still from Orphan: First Kill(Image by Prime Video)

1) Orphan: First Kill (2022)

This film is directed by William Brent Bell and stars Isabelle Fuhrman, Julia Stiles, and Rossif Sutherland among others. The psychological thriller is set in the year 2009 and acts as a prequel to Orphan (2009).

In this movie, Esther travels to America after escaping an Estonian psychiatric facility. She disguises herself as the missing daughter of a rich family when she escapes and tries to fabricate her identity.

2) Orphan (2009)

The director of this film is Jaume Collet-Serra. Peter Sarsgaard, Vera Farmiga, and Isabelle Fuhrman star in it among others. The story of this movie takes place in 2009, when a couple adopt an orphan, Esther, after losing their child.

3) Orphan 3

As per IMDB, this movie will be released tentatively in 2026 and will be in a timeline that will be 17 years after the events of the first film, i.e. Orphan: First Kill.

---

Orphan: First Kill is now playing on Prime Video.