Amazon MGM Studios, Lionsgate confirm 'A Simple Favor 2' production
Amazon MGM Studios, in collaboration with Lionsgate, has officially announced the production of A Simple Favor 2. The sequel to the well-received 2018 dark comedy is scheduled to commence filming this spring and will be exclusively released on Amazon Prime Video. The original cast, featuring Anna Kendrick, Blake Lively, Henry Golding, Andrew Rannells, Bashir Salahuddin, Joshua Satine, Ian Ho, and Kelly McCormack, are all set to return. Paul Feig will once again take the helm as director.
'A Simple Favor 2' plot and screenplay details unveiled
Jessica Sharzer, the writer behind the first film's script, has returned to pen A Simple Favor 2. Feig and Laeta Kalogridis have also contributed to the screenplay. The sequel will continue with the story of Stephanie Smothers (Kendrick) and Emily Nelson (Lively), who travel to Capri for Emily's lavish wedding to a wealthy Italian businessman. The plot promises a thrilling narrative of murder and betrayal amidst opulent celebrations.
Meet those involved in its production
Feig and Laura Fischer are set to produce A Simple Favor 2 under their banner Feigco Entertainment. Sharzer will serve as executive producer. News about the sequel's development first surfaced in 2022. The original film was a box office hit when it was released by Lionsgate in September 2018, grossing $53M domestically and amassing a global total of $97M.
Check out the cast's other upcoming projects
Kendrick is preparing for her directorial debut with Woman of the Hour, a Netflix original set to premiere this fall. Lively is part of Sony's adaptation of Colleen Hoover's novel It Ends With Us, which is slated for a June release, while Feig has recently wrapped up filming for Amazon's action-comedy feature Grand Death Lotto. A Simple Favor 2 is expected to start production this spring and will be available for streaming in over 240 countries and territories worldwide.
Marketing strategy used to promote the original film
When the original film was released in 2018, the makers adopted a new way to promote the movie. Ahead of its release in September, Lively hid all her posts on social media on May 1, 2018, to create hype around the film and the strategy did work in their favor. Major traction was built after the film's first teaser trailer was released on May 2, followed by its second trailer on May 24 of that year.
