MANILA, Philippines – Despite the success of the movie English Only, Please last year at the 2014 Metro Manila Film Festival (MMFF), director Dan Villegas does not seem keen on doing a sequel of the movie.

In an interview with reporters at the press conference for his movie Walang Forever for the 2015 MMFF, Dan said he was happy with the movie ending with a scene of Julian (Derek Ramsay) and Tere (Jennylyn Mercado) meeting once again at the bus station.

“Hindi sa ayaw, parang for me kasi, sini-stretch namin yung storya ni Julian at ni Tere. As a director, okay na siya na natapos na sa bus station. (It’s not that I don’t want to, but for me I feel we are stretching the story of Julian and Tere. As a director, I’m okay that we finished at the bus station.)

“Parang personally gusto ko, last memory of Julian and Tere yung nag-kiss sila sa bus station. Kumbaga natapos na doon okay na ako,” he said. (For me personally, I want that the last memory I would remember would be Julian and Tere kissing at the bus station. In other words, it’s finished, I’m okay with it.)

For now, Direk Dan said he is still firm about not doing a sequel, even if movies like A Second Chance, the sequel to One More Chance, did well in the box office.

“Iba kasi siyang pelikula…tingnan natin, pero as of now, as of today, hindi ko talaga nakikita kung saan pupunta yung storya, yung kuwento [ni Julian at Tere],” he said.

(The movie is differerent… let’s see, but as of now, as of today, I don’t see where the story is going.)

Meanwhile, lawyer Joji Alonso, Quantum Films producer behind English Only, Please and Walang Forever, said she is still optimistic about doing the sequel one day.

“Dan doesn’t want to do a sequel, but we’re looking at the possibility of still pursuing it and Chris Martinez will direct the film,” she told the press.

“We haven’t decided yet when. Kay Dan tapos na yung kuwento ni Julian at ni Tere with what has happened. Sa akin, may nakikita pa akong one last story to finish the entire cycle of the film. Iyon yung paniniwala ko kaya nanghihinayang ako.

(For Dan, the story of Julian and Tere ended with what happened. For me, I still see one more story to finish the the entire cycle for the film. That’s what I believe.)

“So the timing is very important. Maybe next year, maybe 2017. We haven’t really decided. But our next film will hopefully have Derek (Ramsay) and Jen but in another concept,” Joji said.

According to Joji, the next movie for Derek and Jennylyn is entitled My Candidate. 

English Only, Please was one of the big hits in the 2014 MMFF, winning the 2nd Best Picture and Best Actor, Best Actress, and Best Director awards for Derek, Jennylyn and Direk Dan. (FULL LIST: Winners, MMFF 2014 awards night)

Direk Dan is currently promoting Walang Forever, his new movie with Jennylyn and Jericho Rosales. His girlfriend, director Antoinette Jadaone, who is the director behind That Thing Called Tadhana and On The Wings of Love, is also part of this year’s film festival with her movie All You Need is Pag-Ibig, starring Kris Aquino, Derek Ramsay, Kim Chiu, Xian Lim, Jodi Sta Maria, and Ian Veneracion. – Rappler.com