Netflix’s Murder Mystery 2 has added a plethora of talent to the comedy sequel, joining returning stars Adam Sandler and Jennifer Aniston. The first film, Murder Mystery, was a surprise hit for the streaming service, becoming Netflix’s most watched movie of 2019. The film followed cop Nick Spitz (Sandler) and his wife Audrey (Aniston) as they were caught in the middle of a complicated murder plot while on a European vacation. With a cast stacked with talent from Luke Evans to Terrence Stamp, the unlikely hit was a critical dud, but generated enough interest for Netflix to green-light a sequel.
Murder Mystery 2 will see Sandler and Aniston return for more hijinks. Original director Kyle Newacheck does not return for the sequel, with Best. Worst. Weekend. Ever’s Jeremy Garelick taking the helm. James Vanderbilt of The Amazing Spider-Man fame returns to pen the screenplay, while Aniston and Sandler are among the long list of producers. Vandervilt recently revealed that he wrote both the original film and Murder Mystery 2 as “a love letter” to his wife, though not much else is know yet about the plot of the sequel project.
With the production of Murder Mystery 2 underway, THR reports that several names have been added to the talented cast for the comedy thriller. Inglorious Basterds’ Mélanie Laurent and Kingsman’s Mark Strong are among the list of actors set to join the sequel. Zurin Villanueva, Kuhoo Verma and Enrique Arce also joining the cast in unknown roles. Finally, veteran character actor Tony Goldwyn, Annie Mumolo and up-and-coming British actress Jodie Turner-Smith fill out the star-studded lineup. While no details of the new characters have been released, Murder Mystery 2 continues the original film’s trend of casting several big names from both the comedy genre and elsewhere in Hollywood.
While plot details for the upcoming comedy are still largely under-wraps, filming with Sandler and Aniston has been underway in Hawaii recently. This continues the long-standing theme of Sandler’s comedy films taking place in beautiful, scenic locations and holiday destinations. Screenwriter Vanderbilt has also recently praised the chemistry between the two Murder Mystery 2 leads. The new cast members join the star pair as actors from the first Murder Mystery movie are also set to return, including John Kani and Adeel Akhtar.
Murder Mystery 2 will aim to replicate the unexpected success of the 2019 comedy, which comes from Sandler’s Happy Madison production company. Fans of the original film will be eager to see what the Spitz’s have gotten themselves into this time round, and how these new faces factor into what will presumably be yet another enigmatic murder plot. With a release date not yet set, Murder Mystery 2 is expected to come to Netflix in the near future, and Aniston and Sandler are sure to deliver yet another fun and beloved comedy performance.
Source: THR