Solaris (2002)
The Original: We love Soderbergh’s remake of Andrei Tarkovsky’s 1972 adaptation of Stanislaw Lem’s meditative science-fiction novel. But we are in a tiny minority.
The Sequel: Lem didn’t like Soderbergh’s romantic take on his novel, stating: “The book was entitled Solaris and not Love In Outer Space.”
Steven should show Stanislaw what he can do, making a stream of consciousness SF flick that makes Schizopolis look like Star Wars .
For irony’s sake, he should call it Love In Outer Space .
Erin Brockovich (2000)
The Original: True-life tale about a white-trash lawyer who took on a corporation responsible for poisoning the water in the small town of Hinkley and – spoiler alert – won.
The Sequel: In June 2009 Erin did it again, taking another corporation to task for water-poison. She said: “The only difference between here and Hinkley, is that I saw higher levels here than I saw in Hinkley.” Which ticks the box for a bigger and better sequel.
Steven should replace Roberts with Angelina Jolie, and send her tottering into court in a push-up bra and a short skirt to cover the new case.
Out Of Sight (1998)
The Original: Ocean’s Eleven aside, Out Of Sight is Soderbergh’s most successful mainstream flick, with Clooney charming Jennifer Lopez into a decent performance as a US Marshall who falls for her convict target.
The Sequel: Steven should cast Clooney and Lopez in an unofficial sequel called Out Of Mind , about a psychiatrist who falls in love with one of her patients.
Or he should just do another Elmore Leonard adaptation, because he’s clearly brilliant at them.
Traffic (2000)
The Original: Chopped up deconstruction covering every aspect of America’s drug war, from the dealers to the users to the senators that try to spoil their fun.
The Sequel: The Channel 4 TV series was a more expanded look at the drug trade - covering the perspective of the Pakistani growers and manufacturers, German dealers, and British users.
Soderbergh should similarly expand Traffic to take in the worldwide fight against addiction in a film he could probably call Traffic 2: Air Traffic.
Sex, Lies & Videotape (1989)
The Original: James Spader films a bunch of women talking openly and honestly about their sex lives and finds himself getting too close to one of his subjects.
The Sequel: Videotape is so ‘80s, guy. Soderbergh should update the concept in a sequel that involves YouTube somehow.
Actually, if he could get the women to confess using Twitter, even better. Spotify could do the soundtrack.
Oceans Thirteen (2007)
The Original: It not quite as offensive as the self-indulgent dirge that was Ocean’s Twelve, but comes close enough.
The Sequel: Ocean’s Eleven was such an enjoyable film, it seems a shame to send the series out on such a bum note.
Soderbergh should gather the original cast back together, send them to Blackpool (the Vegas of the North) and force them to be charming (not smug) at gunpoint.
The Girlfriend Experience (2009)
The Original: Soderbergh’s attempt to bring porn star Sasha Gray into the mainstream stimulated more yawns than critical applause at Sundance this year.
Shame, the story – Chelsea the high-class hooker offers clients fake emotions – had cross-over potential for its hardcore lead.
The Sequel: Follow-up films are usually bigger and better, so Soderbergh would be within his rights to ditch the DV and use IMAX equipment to tell us more about Chelsea. And maybe he could throw in a few sex scenes this time.