Now that Don't Breathe is a horror franchise, here's what to expect from a possible Don't Breathe 3, including its release date, cast, and story.

Now that Don't Breathe is a franchise, here's what to expect from Don't Breathe 3, if it happens. The original 2016 horror film directed by Fede Alvarez was quite a success story. Despite the mixed reaction to Don't Breathe's twist ending, the movie received great reviews and performed incredibly well at the box office. This led to Don't Breathe 2 being developed, with Don't Breathe's writer Rodo Sayagues taking over directing duties on the sequel.

Don't Breathe 2 shifts the franchise's perspective to focus on Norman Nordstrom aka The Blind Man (Stephen Lang). It is set eight years after the original movie and sees Norman raising a daughter named Phoenix (Madelyn Grace). Norman and Phoenix largely keep to themselves in Detroit, but their privacy is threatened when a group of men decides to take Phoenix from him. After invading The Blind Man's home and taking her, he must go on a mission to try and rescue Phoenix. This leads to Don't Breathe 2's ending, which is filled with blood and surprises.

The reception to Don't Breathe 2 has been much more mixed than the first. The decision to make The Blind Man the "hero" after seeing his despicable acts in the first film is one of the main reasons audiences are so divided on the sequel. Its release in a pandemic-era box office also significantly changed Don't Breathe 2's box office potential. But, the movie does leave the door open for another movie. Here's what to expect from Don't Breathe 3.

Will Don't Breathe 3 Happen?

Screen Gems and Stage 6 Films have yet to announce that Don't Breathe 3 is happening. However, Fede Alvarez and Rodo Sayagues have expressed their interest in continuing the story forward. The fate of Don't Breathe 3 will presumably come down to how well the current sequel performs financially. It has a reported budget of only $15 million, so the estimated $30-$45M box office haul it theoretically needs to become profitable isn't a terribly high figure to hit. The first film had very good legs early on, so Don't Breathe 2 will need to replicate that success for the studios to greenlight another.

Don't Breathe 3 Release Date

If Don't Breathe 3 is eventually announced, it is unclear when it could be released. It took Alvarez and Sayagues five years to turn around Don't Breathe 2, but the studios might not want to wait that long for a third film. The soonest Don't Breathe 3 could release is likely 2023 if the plan is to keep the franchise in its August release slot.

Don't Breathe 3 Cast

The cast of Don't Breathe 3 could bring back stars from both films potentially. It is impossible to imagine Lang not returning as The Blind Man for the next film, and Don't Breathe 2's post-credits scene teases how that is possible. Alvarez and Sayagues have also discussed how Jane Levy's Rocky could return for a third film. It would also seem likely that Grace could return as Phoenix. Otherwise, the rest of Don't Breathe 3's cast should be new to the franchise.

Don't Breathe 3 Story Details

The story of Don't Breathe 3 could go in any number of directions, but the exact plan for a possible sequel is not known. The movie could see Rocky return to Detroit to kill The Blind Man once and for all after learning about what he's been up to recently. It could also again focus on The Blind Man dealing with another home invasion by himself or even turn the focus squarely on Phoenix and her new living arrangements.

MORE: Don't Breathe 2: Is The Blind Man The Hero Or Villain? Controversy Explained