16 Years Ago, A Fake Trailer Became A Real Movie Franchise & Fans Are Still Waiting for Part 3

In 2007, Quentin Tarantino and Robert Rodriguez released Grindhouse, a double-feature event built as a tribute to the exploitation films of the 1970s. Rodriguez directed the zombie outbreak film Planet Terror, and Tarantino presented the stunt-car thriller Death Proof, with the two movies being part of the same cinematic experience. The filmmakers commitement with the grindhouse structure extended to a series of fake trailers shown between the two features. Most of these trailers were commissioned from directors working in Rodriguez and Tarantino’s circle. Rob Zombie contributed Werewolf Women of the S.S., Edgar Wright supplied the horror-cliché send-up Don’t, and Eli Roth pitched a holiday slasher called Thanksgiving, which Roth would turn into a feature film in 2023. Rodriguez also made his own contribution with a trailer for a fake movie called Machete.

The original Machete trailer ran under three minutes, building a surprisingly dense B-movie mythology around its titular character, a betrayed former Federale who turns into a blood vigilante as he seeks justice against corrupt politicians. The trailer leaned into exploitation conventions, including grainy film stock and a growling narrator, while showing Machete seduce beautiful women and destroy his enemies with blades, pistols, explosions, and even an automated machine gun installed in a motorcycle. Not enough? Well, the trailer also used Machete’s Mexican origins to discuss structural racism and immigration policies in the US. The Machete trailer also starred Danny Trejo, a character actor best known at the time for supporting and villain roles. As the main hero, Trejo delivered a convincing tough-guy performance that was still incredibly charismatic, selling the preposterous idea of the trailer as something that should be done. Just like that, Rodriguez’s accidentatly kickstarted Machete‘s cinematic journey.

How Did Machete Become an Actual Movie?

Rodriguez did not set out to expand Machete into a feature, but the overwhelming fan reaction changed his mind. The filmmaker spent the next three years developing a full-length version, co-directing with Ethan Maniquis and co-writing the script with Álvaro Rodriguez to turn a gag into a feature that could stand on its own. The finished film gave Trejo his first true leading role after decades of supporting work, expanding the character’s revenge plot into a story about a framed ex-Federale caught between a corrupt Texas senator and a drug cartel. The movie also began to make the headlines due to its stacked ensemble, including Robert De Niro, Jessica Alba, Michelle Rodriguez, Steven Seagal, Lindsay Lohan, Don Johnson, and returning trailer players Fahey and Marin. On a $10.5 million budget, Machete opened September 3, 2010, exactly 16 years ago. It went on to gross $45.5 million worldwide, a substantial return that made a sequel possible, especially since Rodriguez decided to repeat the same trailer joke.

After the end credits of Machete roll, audiences watch a fake trailer for a sequel called Machete Kills, alongside a title card teasing a further chapter called Machete Kills Again. Once more, Rodriguez wasn’t expecting to make a full trilogy, and his primary goal was to keep up with the grindhouse gag. Still, fans were excited about the prospect of more Machete. As a result, Machete Kills reached theaters on October 11, 2013, with Trejo back in the lead and an even larger ensemble around him, this time including Lady Gaga, Mel Gibson, Sofia Vergara, Amber Heard, and Charlie Sheen as the President of the United States. The sequel trades the border-town politics of the first movie for a James Bond-style espionage plot featuring a villainous billionaire (Gibson) with plans to launch a weapon into space, and Rodriguez managed to almost double its predecessor’s budget to $20 million. Sadly, Machete Kills grossed only $17.5 million worldwide, killing Rodriguez’s trilogy plan. An unfair result, by the way, as Machete Kills is a blast.

Will Machete 3 Ever Get Done?

Staying true to the franchise’s roots, Machete Kills features a brand-new faux trailer for the third and supposedly final chapter: Machete Kills Again… In Space. This trailer teases an intergalactic climax involving lightsaber machetes and futuristic clones, positioning the hypothetical third film as the culmination of the franchise’s absurdity. Rodriguez has said numerous times that the concept began as a gag, a way to punctuate the sequel’s tone rather than a genuine production plan. Yet, fans are still hoping Rodriguez will manage to make Machete Kills Again… In Space a reality, giving Trejo the trilogy caper he deserves.

Despite the financial hurdles, the key Machete creatives remain committed to finishing the story. During an interview with Moviefone in October 2024, Trejo confirmed his readiness to strap on the character’s signature blades once more. When asked about the status of the sequel, the actor said, “I want you to post, ‘Robert Rodriguez, let’s do Machete Kills in Space. The whole country’s waiting for it.’” He further emphasized that time has not damaged his ability to shoot action movies. “I love that movie. I’m still in great shape,” he added.

Rodriguez himself has acknowledged the pressure from fans to complete the trilogy. Back in 2023, the director revealed why he included the sci-fi teaser in the second film. “Danny calls me all the time. He films a whole audience that he’s speaking to, and they’re all saying ‘Machete in Space!’ That’s why I put a fake trailer for that on Machete 2, to kind of satisfy them,” Rodriguez explained. “And it never satisfies them, so we have to do it.” Until a studio is willing to finance the venture, however, the galactic slaughter remains nothing but a wish.