It seemed likely that a sequel to The Purge was planned when "The Purge 2" popped up on the list of projects chosen for the California Film Commission's tax credit. Now it has been officially confirmed. According to multiple sources, including the official Twitter account for Blumhouse Productions, a sequel is now in development and we should see it filming later this year.
Variety reveals that production will have to take place this year if the project wants to receive the tax credit: "If it’s cleared by the state, "Purge 2" will receive the credit covering up to 25% of the budget once production is completed and an audit has established that the production funds were spent in California. The sequel would have to begin shooting by the end of the year and meet several other requirements if it’s to receive the credit."
This doesn't come as much of a surprise after the success of The Purge at the box office. In the first three days, the movie earned $34 million and only had a production budget of $3 million. If the sequel ends up filming this year, we could see a release date around this time next year. Of course, we'll let readers know when more information becomes available.