Universal was on shaky ground when 'Snow White and the Huntsman' hit theaters last Friday. Tracking suggested they could have back-to-back flops with it and 'Battleship.' But with a $55 Million weekend, and the likelihood that they will cross $100 Million domestic by Sunday means that they're stepping up their sequel plans.

We've noted before that they've already hired a writer in David Koepp, and we've already offered suggestions on where they can go. But this is a fast move on their part, likely hurried up for two reasons.

The first is that they don't have their previous director Rupert Sanders signed on for a sequel. As Deadline Hollywood notes, he did it as a one-off, but it sounds like he could be swayed to come back. The other is that Universal wants and needs more franchises. They don't have a stable of hit films to draw on, and as we're in the franchise business (and because 'Battleship' tanked), they'll happily grab on to something like this that did well enough to suggest more.

The biggest hurdle with the new film is that they don't have a classic narrative to fall back on, but if they can get back the surviving cast members (or resurrect the dead ones) they'll at least have some names for their posters. But - though the director may not have signed on for multiple films - it's certain they have Kristen Stewart wrapped up. How would you make a 'Snow White' sequel without Snow White (wait, don't ask).

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