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When I walked into my screening for Robert Rodriguez’s Alita: Battle Angel, I had no idea that I’d be stepping into a new obsession when it came to the world of cinema. Despite the world of upcoming 2025 movies not holding any prospects for a potential sequel, I’m one of the people who are still holding out the hope for a return to Iron City after five years of fandom.
But, upon really thinking about this movie, especially in the terms of Hispanic Heritage Month, I think I’ve found even more reasons why Alita: Fallen Angel needs to happen. Chiefly among them is the fact that such a follow-up is more important than ever for Hispanic representation at the movies.
Alita: Battle Angel Unintentionally Became A Cult Favorite Hispanic-Led Franchise
Diversity and inclusion in media continues to be an area of importance in pop culture. We’ve seen this recently revisited through discourse on Star Trek’s underwhelming history of hispanic representation over the years. And I’m amazed that it took me this long to even discuss the fact that Alita: Battle Angel is a huge example of latino culture being so organically rooted in a modern cult hit!
Admittedly, fans pushing for an Alita sequel are more focused on wanting to see a franchise worthy of continuation rise from the ashes. That’s enough of a reason to champion more entries in the adaptation of author Yukito Kishiro’s manga Gunnm. But, besides pushing for the trilogy that was originally planned, this 20th Century Fox originated franchise never overplayed the importance of its cultural influences.
At the same time, those touches aren’t hidden or neglected, thanks to the writer/director behind the saga’s current incarnation. Which means we’re obviously going to celebrate the one and only Robert Rodriguez.
Robert Rodriguez’s Trademark Latino Pride Radiates Throughout Alita: Battle Angel
Robert Rodriguez is a director who knows how to mix Latino Pride into an overall narrative, and actually make it really sing in the context of a project. A big point that supports this notion is Rodriguez’s decision to use a Panama City setting to substitute the manga’s traditional Kansas City backdrop. However, you don’t need to look too hard to see how the Spy Kids director’s Mexican lineage further colored the experience.
Everything from his diverse casting choices to the Aztec markings that Looper highlighted on the body of rival bounty hunter Zapan (Ed Skrein) has Robert Rodriguez’s fingerprints all over it. As sure as the man who included a special lesson on how to make Alita’s favorite chocolate on the home release, the director who gave us Machete and the Mexico Trilogy knows how to flash his Hispanic Pride in style.
An Alita Sequel Would Continue To Elevate Rosa Salazar’s Star Power
Here’s some Alita: Battle Angel trivia you might not know: actor Rosa Salazar actually beat out a crop of candidates that included Maika Monroe, Zendaya, and Bella Thorne for the film’s lead role. While there would have been plenty of potential with any of those choices in the lead, I can’t imagine anyone other than Ms. Salazar playing the character.
Like any franchise worth its salt, the world of Alita has its flagship talent in Salazar, and she’s recognized that fact since the very beginning. In a 2019 interview with the Latino focused publication Remezcla, Salazar reflected on her director’s efforts to fuel the rise of Latin talent, along with the following important statistic:
He was directing girls that looked like me. When I got to work with him, it was breathtaking because he empowered me the way he had so many others. He hears your voice. Robert has had a lot of time to uplift Latin women. It’s something we’re in desperate need of. [Latinos] make up a quarter of the people who actually see movies, so it’s important for us to see ourselves up there on screen.
I’d have to imagine that the Latino market share in theaters has only grown, much as Salazar’s career as a leading lady has through the powers of the film. In the past five years, she’s tackled everything from the body horror Netflix series Brand New Cherry Flavor to landing a role in Captain America: Brave New World’s cast. Already a star on the rise, a return for a sequel would further cement Salazar’s place in Hollywood, thanks to being potentially proven as a reliable franchise lead with a series to call her own.
More Hispanic Talent Would Undoubtedly Be Involved With Alita Sequels
Salazar isn’t the only talent with Hispanic lineage that made a splash in Alita: Battle Angel. The roster for this cast includes extremely talented veterans like Michelle Rodriguez and other up and comers like Keean Johnson. Not to mention I’d still consider Alita as a movie that has one of the best Eiza Gonzalez roles so far, which further ties this discussion into a very important point for the future. And, that is that a sequel would only serve to highlight more hispanic talent across the board.
I struggle to think that with Motorball and the fight against Edward Norton’s Nova hanging in the balance, there wouldn’t be room for some of Robert Rodriguez’s repertory cast to show up. Even Danny Trejo was surprised he wasn’t cast in Alita, so having another movie on the board would be a great time to correct that error.
Plus, the Sin City director would be bound to lure other Latino actors into the picture. Whether it’s old friends like Antonio Banderas and Salma Hayek, or Rodriguez heeding John Leguizamo’s call for more Latin movie heroes, there’s a huge possibility waiting to pop off. It’s all because patient fans, like myself and the ranks of the Alita Army, are still devoted to this sci-fi adventure that captured our imaginations in the recent past.
Before I’d even thought about the movie’s status as a beacon of Hispanic representation, I’d have just kept pushing for a sequel because I loved it so much. Now I have even more of a reason to want to see this happen, as it would only further represent diversity in Hollywood, both in terms of its narrative and the Hispanic-centered storytelling at work.
Also, considering the Alita fans have only been waiting for five years, this battle is not nearly over when looking at how long other legacy-quels have taken to happen. A tip of the hat to both the Tron and Beetlejuice fandoms is in order, in that respect.
The point still remains: those of us who want to see more Alita: Battle Angel action should not stand by in the presence of uncertainty. Rosa Salazar, Robert Rodriguez, James Cameron, and even the dearly departed Jon Landau have been keeping the flame lit for this long; and frankly that’s as good a reason as any to continue the fight.
For those of you who want to revisit the adventure, or need to introduce themselves to its glory, this is the time! Kick off your HIspanic Heritage Month with a blast of action, as you stream this fan favorite in its current home, through the usage of a Hulu subscription.