Alien invasion movies generally come with a big budget, elaborate special effects, and exaggerated plots involving intense action sequences, but reviews of District 9 being mostly positive.

Most of District 9 takes place 20 years after the aliens arrive. They have been segregated, are known as "prawns," and live in a slum: District 9. One of the aliens, Christopher Johnson, intends to escape with his son during a planned relocation led by Wikus van de Merwe, who has an accident and starts transforming into an alien himself, leaving A District 9 sequel has been confirmed, but updates have been scarce although, like District 9, it is likely to be filmed with a low budget.

District 9 Was Made On A Budget Of $30 Million (& It Was Incredible)

Sharlto Copley's character Wikus van de Merwe Is An Underrated Antihero

District 9 was made with just $30 million, but made $210.8 million worldwide, and gained a 90% positive Rotten Tomatoes score. District 9's low budget came, in many ways, through the failure of another movie. Producer Peter Jackson had intended to shoot an adaptation of the Halo game, but the project was never realized, so District 9 used many props intended for use in Halo. Instead of a large team of scriptwriters, the actors improvised most of their dialogue, and District 9 launched Sharlto Copley's acting career after he excelled at the improvisation part of his role.

Copley's character, Wikus van de Merwe, begins District 9 as a bureaucrat, who doesn't want to get any closer to the aliens than he has to. Even when he is accidentally infected with alien fluid and slowly begins turning into an alien himself, his main motivation is his desire to go back to normal, rather than help the aliens through a newfound level of sympathy. District 9's Wikus is not a hero; he is selfish and bigoted, yet Wikus, by helping Christopher and his son to escape District 9 and planet Earth, finally does something good.

What Made District 9 So Special Compared To Other Alien Invasion Movies

Director Neill Blomkamp Based District 9 On His Experiences During Apartheid

Many alien invasion movies are somewhat predictable, with humans defeating hostile aliens, or making friends with peaceable ones. District 9 is based on the nastier aspects of human history and is a disturbingly realistic depiction of what might happen to visiting aliens. Setting an alien invasion movie in Johannesburg, which experienced the apartheid system, and then watching aliens segregated in much the same way, keeps the movie tense and unpredictable. District 9's alien design also challenges human nature, asking viewers to sympathize with the aliens without making them cute.

District 9 expands on a world already created by director Neill Blomkamp, for his six-minute short film Alive in Joburg.

Director Neill Blomkamp wrote District 9 as an allegory for apartheid, having grown up during the regime and seeing the effects the laws had on the communities. Even the title, District 9, is based on Cape Town's real-life District Six, which was destroyed. The movie's theme and dialogue form a hard-hitting social commentary on their own, but, due to what some felt were offensive portrayals of Nigerian people and very similar names to real people, District 9 was banned in Nigeria. Information Minister Dora Akunyili demanded an apology from Sony Pictures, but this never happened.

Why The District 9 Sequel Still Hasn't Happened 15 Years Later

What District 10 Could Be Like With Sharlto Copley As A Writer

A District 9 sequel was once confirmed, with Copley listed as one of the co-writers, but news has been scarce. Blomkamp's failures make District 10 more likely, as a District 9 sequel may be his best chance at a hit.

As a writer for District 10, Copley has shown his ion for the sequel, which could go anywhere with its storyline, including a full alien invasion. Though Blomkamp has said that District 10 would be based on a specific period of American history, District 10 could answer questions that District 9 left open, and, with Copley as a writer, there would likely be significant character development for Wikus after living as an alien for three years. Blomkamp and Copley appear to have an idea and ion for the project, so a District 9 sequel has not been ruled out yet.