After Bruce Willis is done filming his next Die Hard sequel A Good Day to Die Hard the pretty busy action star will move on to yet another sequel RED 2. The hit from 2010 that brought veteran actors together in the same feature, and adapted from the comics of the same name, was a modest smash and certainly left a sequel fast in development. With a release already set for next summer, the sequel is ready to begin filming soon. And today, that filming includes two brand new faces along with the five main characters of the last one.
Catherine Zeta-Jones and Byung-Hun Lee have both been cast in undetailed roles for RED 2, while Bruce Willis, Morgan Freeman, Helen Mirren, Mary-Louise Parker, and John Malkovich have all been confirmed to return as well in an adventure that will see the ex-agents going to Europe.
Here are a few more details via press release:
Summit Entertainment, a LIONSGATE® company, has cast Oscar® winner Catherine Zeta-Jones (ROCK OF AGES, CHICAGO) and Byung-Hun Lee (G.I. JOE: RETALIATION, G.I. JOE: RISE OF THE COBRA) in RED 2, the sequel to the action-comedy hit RED. The sequel also reunites Bruce Willis (THE EXPENDABLES, DIE HARD), John Malkovich (IN THE LINE OF FIRE, BURN AFTER READING), Mary-Louise Parker (WEEDS, R.I.P.D.), and Oscar winner Helen Mirren (THE QUEEN). Lionsgate International will sell the film at the upcoming Cannes film market.
The project is being directed by Dean Parisot from a screenplay by Erich and Jon Hoeber, who wrote the script for the studios’ first installment of the Golden Globe® nominated film. Lorenzo DiBonaventura and Mark Vahradian will produce the film via their DiBonaventura Pictures banner.
RED 2 brings back the team of retired CIA operatives as they use their old-school style to take on a new set of enemies all across Europe. The film is scheduled to be released on August 2, 2013.
Erik Feig, President, Lionsgate Motion Picture Group, Production, stated “We had so much fun making RED and seeing that amazing cast assembled together – and so did consumers: over $200m worldwide and the number one home entertainment rental of last year. We can’t wait to bring them back together, give them some new friends, and show they ‘still got it.’”
Feig will oversee the project for the studio along with Summit Entertainment’s Senior Vice President of Production, Geoff Shaevitz.
Malkovich, Parker, and Zeta-Jones are represented by WME. Willis, Mirren, and Lee are represented by CAA. Malkovich is represented by Principato-Young Entertainment.
