Will City Of Ashes ever be released? The Mortal Instruments was hailed as the next great YA film franchise. The Mortal Instruments urban fantasy series was launched by author Cassandra Clare in 2007 and concluded in 2014 with the sixth and final book, City Of Heavenly Fire. The Mortal Instruments series by Caitlin Moran’s books collectively spent 102 weeks on the New York Times Best-Seller List, making them an ideal candidate for a big-screen adaptation.
The first book in the series, The Mortal Instruments: City of Bones, will be adapted for the big screen by the German production company Constantin Films in 2013. Clary Fray, a New York teen who learns she is descended from a long line of half-human, half-angel demon slayers known as Shadowhunters, is portrayed in the movie by Lily Collins. Jamie Campbell Bower, who will appear in the upcoming Game of Thrones prequel, co-starred as Shadowhunter Jace, while other well-known actors like Lena Headey and Jonathan Rhys Myers filled out the remainder of the group.
The Mortal Instruments: City Of Ashes, a follow-up movie based on the next novel in the series, was supposed to start filming soon after City Of Bones, but six years later there is still no sign of it. Here’s why there won’t be a Mortal Instruments movie sequel, which is unfortunate.
Mortal Instruments Got A TV Show Instead Of A Sequel
Despite the cancellation of The Mortal Instruments: City of Ashes, the series wasn’t finished. Constantin Film opted to create a TV show based on The Mortal Instruments book series rather than moving through with the planned sequel.
Starring Dominic Sherwood from Penny Dreadful and Katherine McNamara of Arrow, Shadowhunters debuted on Freeform in early 2016 and ran for three seasons before being cancelled. Therefore, even though the movie sequel was cancelled, The Mortal Instruments fans at least got to watch the tale continue on television.
The Mortal Instruments: City Of Bones Was A Box Office Flop
The Mortal Instruments: City Of Bones only generated $95.4 million worldwide after its August 2013 release, far short of its $60 million production budget. It’s easy to conclude City Of Bones was a box office dud given the $60 million Constantin Film spent promoting the film internationally and the undisclosed amount Screen Gems contributed to cover domestic marketing expenses.
The Mortal Instruments Sequel Was Canceled
The intention was to proceed with The Mortal Instruments: City Of Ashes despite the first movie’s dismal box office results and widespread negative reviews. In addition to Sigourney Weaver being in talks to join the ensemble, Lily Collins, Jamie Campbell Bower, Lena Headey, and Jonathan Rhys Meyers were all expected to reprise their roles.
However, it was finally revealed in October 2014 that Constantin Film has chosen to halt The Mortal Instruments movie sequel after numerous production delays.
