Bella Thorne will write, direct, and star in the sequel to Harmony Korine's 2012 cult film Spring Breakers, titled Spring Breakers: Salvation Mountain — a project she discussed publicly on Alex Cooper's Call Her Daddy podcast (Variety).

Thorne stepped into the director's chair after the film's producers watched an early cut of Color Your Hurt, her directorial debut — a coming-of-age thriller about a young gay man seeking acceptance in a hostile community, which wrapped production in October. Matthew Bright had originally been attached to direct the sequel before Thorne replaced him (Variety).

Variety first announced the sequel and its cast in May 2025, naming Grace Van Dien, Ariel Martin, and True Whitaker alongside Thorne (Variety). The original Spring Breakers, released in 2012, starred Selena Gomez, Vanessa Hudgens, Ashley Benson, and James Franco under Korine's direction.

The sequel involves original producers Chris Hanley of Muse Productions and Jordan Gertner, but Korine himself is not involved. He has said he has "no interest" in the project and told The Hollywood Reporter he is "baffled" by it, remarking: "I can't imagine why you'd want to make another one. It already exists" (THR).

For Thorne, the jump from performer to multi-hyphenate — writing, directing, and starring — on a property with an established following marks a notable step. Color Your Hurt has not yet been released, which means the producers' decision to hand her the sequel came on the strength of unfinished footage from a first-time director. That is an unusual vote of confidence in an industry where sequels to cult films tend to land in the hands of experienced journeyman directors.

The title Salvation Mountain nods to a real-world landmark: a brightly painted hillside art installation in the California desert, built over decades by the late artist Leonard Knight. Whether that location figures in the sequel's plot remains to be seen. No release date has been announced.