Fresh off Star Wars, John Boyega going back to his roots for Attack the Block sequel with Joe Cornish

A decade after launching his career with Attack the Block, and taking a little detour through a small-scale sci-fi series known as Star Wars, John Boyega is returning to the alien invasion world that helped made him a star. Deadline reports Boyega and writer/director Joe Cornish will reunite for Attack the Block 2, granting the wishes of fans who've long hoped for a continuation of the sci-fi cult classic.

Boyega will return to star as Moses, the leader of a tough group of London street kids who fought off an alien invasion on their block in the original film, and will also serve as a producer on the sequel. As with the original, Cornish will serve as both writer and director. Plot details are still a secret at this point, but the news that these two genre stars are teaming up for a return to the world that helped put them on the map is exciting all by itself.

“It’s been a decade since Attack The Block was released and so much has changed since then,” Boyega said. “I’m excited to see this heightened story return to the streets of London. Moses has remained one of my favourite characters to play and bringing him back is a huge honour.”

Made on a tight budget with an ensemble cast that also included future Doctor Who star Jodie Whittaker, Attack the Block arrived in 2011 to modest box office returns but overwhelming critical praise, as well as word-of-mouth following that has only grown in the decade since. As it made the rounds back then, it won several audience awards at film festivals around the world, including SXSW and Fantasia Fest, and in the years since it's become one of those essential 2010s sci-fi films every fan needs to see, a modern classic full of energy, attitude, and low-budget inventiveness.

Both Boyega and Cornish have stayed busy since Attack the Block. Playing Moses helped propel Boyega to a role in the Star Wars sequel trilogy, which in turn led to projects like Pacific Rim: Uprising and the critically acclaimed Small Axe. Cornish went on to contribute to Marvel's Ant-Man in its early stages, and then followed up his directorial effort on Attack the Block with the acclaimed Arthurian fantasy The Kid Who Would Be King. Now, they both get to go back to the universe that helped make the possible, and we can't wait.

The first Attack the Block is streaming now, on Tubi, for free.