EXCLUSIVE: After the sequel The Purge: Anarchy surpassed the original film’s $91 million worldwide gross on its way to $110 million, Universal, Blumhouse and Platinum Dunes have begun development on a third installment of the fright film. Small wonder this is happening; the two films had a combined budget of $12 million, and together have grossed $200 million worldwide. DeMonaco, who wrote and directed the first two, will write the third with an eye to direct his storyline about a land where one night of the year, murder is legal and terrible things happen those unlucky enough to not be locked up tight in their homes.


“I never imagined that The Purge would become the phenomenon it has become,” DeMonaco told Deadline, “and I am thrilled to continue my collaboration with Blumhouse, Sebastien Lemercier, Platinum Dunes and the great team at Universal in building The Purge into a worldwide franchise.” Returning as producers will be Sebastian Lemercier, Blumhouse Productions’ Jason Blum, and Platinum Dunes partners Michael Bay, Brad Fuller and Andrew Form. The franchise is part of the wide ranging deal between fright factory Blumhouse and Universal, which was just extended a decade.

Universal has dated “The Purge 3″ for July 1, 2016.

Frank Grillo is in final negotiations to return to star in Universal, Blumhouse and Platinum Dunes’ “The Purge 3.”

“The Purge” franchise creator James DeMonaco is back to write and direct the latest sequel. Jason Blum is producing along with Sebastien Lemercier and Michael Bay, Andrew Form and Brad Fuller through their Platinum Dunes banner.

The films take place in a future where one day each year all crime is legalized for a 12-hour period, described by the government as “the Purge.” In “Anarchy,” Grillo played Sergeant, a man who seeks revenge on the night of the Purge, only to get pulled into protecting a group of people who are left without shelter as purging begins.

The pic is set to bow on July 1, 2016. “The Purge,” released in 2013, was Blumhouse’s first production under its first-look deal with Universal. The sci-fi thriller, starring Ethan Hawke and Lena Headey and set in the year 2022, became a major success with $89 million at the global box office on a production budget of $3 million.

Scheduling hurdles with his DirecTV show “Kingdom” threatened Grillo’s ability to reprise his role. Insiders now say, however, that the issues have been worked out. Grillo can wrap the current season of “Kingdom,” which premieres this fall, as well as shoot “The Purge 3,” which will begin filming in September.

Besides “Kingdom,” Grillo recently finished shooting on “Captain America: Civil War,” in which he is reprising his role of Crossbones. Before that, he was shooting the sci-fi action pic “Beyond Skyline” opposite “The Raid” star Iko Uwais. He can be seen next in the Akiva Goldsman pic “Stephanie.”

He is repped by CAA, Management 360 and Erik Hyman.

EXCLUSIVE: Betty Gabriel, Edwin Hodge, Kyle Secor, JJ Soria, Mykelti Williamson and Elizabeth Mitchell have joined the cast of Universal/Blumhouse’s The Purge 3, the latest installment in the microbudget horror series that has been minting money for all parties. The third pic will reveal the next chapter of the 12 hours of government-sanctioned anarchy in which murder is legal and nobody can help you if you’re stuck outside. Writer-director James DeMonaco is back for a third go-round, and Frank Grillo already is set to return to star.

Universal has set a July 1 release date, and the movie is near a shooting start in Rhode Island.