Remember 2013’s R.I.P.D.: Rest in Peace Department the big budget live-action comic book adaptation starring Jeff Bridges and Ryan Reynolds?
No? Well that’s understandable, as the Robert Schwentke-directed supernatural action-comedy tanked at the box office, grossing just $78 million worldwide, and was roundly trashed by critics and those who actually bothered to see it.
Nevertheless, that hasn’t stopped Universal from not only giving the go ahead to a sequel, but to actually making one completely under the radar through its straight-to-video Universal 1440 Entertainment division.
As reported by Joblo, the Motion Picture Association has granted a PG-13 certificate to R.I.P.D. 2: Rise of the Damned, due to “sequences of violence, language, disturbing images and some crude/sexual references”.
While details are sketchy, the sequel has been directed by Paul Leyden (Chick Fight) from a script he’s written with Andrew Klein (Blood, Frets & Tears). Unsurprisingly, neither Bridges or Reynolds are back for the sequel, with the cast instead including Richard Fleeshman (The Sandman), Jake Choi (Single Parents), Kerry Knuppe (Hollywood), Stephanie Levi-John (The Spanish Princess), Craige Els (Doctor Who), Tilly Keeper (EastEnders), Nick Wittman (Mars), Gábor Perei (The Last Kingdom), Rachel Adedeji (Hollyoaks), Robert Jackson (Outside the Wire), Gergo Borbas (The Teacher), Máté Bede-Fazekas (Halo), and newcomer Evlyne Oyedokun.
R.I.P.D. is based on the comic book series by Peter M. Lenkov and revolves around the devoted, yet dead, officers of the Rest In Peace Department who are responsible for policing the afterlife on behalf of the boss upstairs.
