Fede Álvarez has confirmed that Don’t Breathe 3 is in the works, bringing Jane Levy and Stephen Lang back to the franchise for a new chapter.
The filmmaker made the announcement during a 10th-anniversary screening of the original Don’t Breathe at Beyond Fest in Santa Monica. The event, held at the Aero Theatre, also brought several members of the original cast together, making the news especially notable for fans who have followed the series since 2016.
The announcement also revealed that the third film has already moved beyond the early discussion stage. Fede Álvarez said that a screenplay for Don’t Breathe 3 has been written, with the filmmaker himself behind the script. His return as director, however, has not been confirmed, leaving the project’s eventual filmmaking team open for now.
The clearest piece of casting news is the return of Jane Levy and Stephen Lang. Jane Levy will reprise her role as Rocky, while Stephen Lang will again play Norman Nordstrom, better known as the Blind Man. Their return connects the new film directly to the characters who defined the original story and gives the third installment a clear link to its starting point.
Jane Levy’s return is particularly significant because Rocky was absent from 2021’s Don’t Breathe 2. That sequel followed Norman Nordstrom as he tried to protect a young girl from people connected to his past. With Jane Levy now returning, Rocky and the Blind Man are set to appear in the same installment again, marking their first reunion within the franchise in a decade.
There is still one notable question surrounding the original cast. Dylan Minnette, who played Alex in Don’t Breathe, was also part of the anniversary Q&A at Beyond Fest alongside Fede Álvarez, Jane Levy and Stephen Lang. However, Fede Álvarez did not announce Dylan Minnette as part of the returning cast for the third film. His involvement therefore remains unconfirmed, and no further details have been revealed about Alex’s place in the story.
The new film also arrives with a franchise history worth remembering. Don’t Breathe became a major commercial success for Sony Pictures after its 2016 release, earning $157.8 million worldwide against a reported $9.9 million budget. The film’s performance established the home-invasion thriller as a strong theatrical property and helped turn its central characters into recognizable horror figures.
Don’t Breathe 2 continued Stephen Lang’s story in 2021, but its worldwide performance was considerably lower. The sequel earned $53.8 million worldwide, according to Box Office Mojo. Its release also came during a period when cinemas were still dealing with the effects of the COVID-19 pandemic, providing important context for the difference between the two films’ theatrical results.
The timing of the announcement gives the project an added sense of continuity. The anniversary event was built around looking back at the original movie, yet it also became the place where its next chapter was revealed. That made the gathering more than a celebration of the first film while keeping the focus on what is known about the new project. Rather than offering a plot synopsis or production timetable, Fede Álvarez provided the update: the script is ready and two familiar faces are coming back.
For now, Don’t Breathe 3 remains a project with its central creative foundation taking shape rather than a film with a full production plan publicly announced. There is no confirmed release date, and Fede Álvarez’s directing involvement and Dylan Minnette’s possible return remain unresolved.
What is confirmed is that the screenplay exists and that Jane Levy and Stephen Lang are returning. After ten years, the franchise is bringing Rocky and the Blind Man back into the same story, giving Don’t Breathe 3 a direct connection to the film that started it all.
