Possibly the worst Ryan Reynolds movie is somehow getting a sequel, as R.I.P.D. 2: Rise of the Damned has been given a release date on Netflix.
R.I.P.D. was a product of a few trends in Hollywood. One was the rise of comic book properties being turned into films. Two was the humungous box office returns of the supernatural Men in Black series with Will Smith. Last but not least was the bankable talents of Reynolds as a leading man. Aside from Green Lantern, obviously.
Based off a little known about Dark Horse Comics series by Peter M. Lenkov, R.I.P.D. is now getting a sequel with none of its original cast returning for it. Instead of having Reynolds, Mary-Louise Parker, and Jeff Bridges, it features Jeffrey Donovan, Richard Fleeshman, and Tilly Keeper. You’d be forgiven for thinking the star power is a tad lacking.
Rise of the Damned has been given a November release window, with it produced by Universal 1440 who previously collaborated with Netflix on Rob Zombie’s The Munsters and American Pie Presents: Girls’ Rules. All absolute hits which have stayed long in filmgoers memories.
Curiously, despite being titled R.I.P.D. 2, it’ll be set several hundred years prior in a Western setting as the Rest in Peace Department hunt the supernatural amongst the cowboys. Frankly, it’s one of the better ways to continue this franchise, especially in the wake of the successful Predator movie Prey set in 1719.
Heading straight to streaming isn’t too surprising following the original film’s failures at the box office. Off its budget of $130 million, the 2013 film made just $78 million, which immediately killed any chance of a blockbuster franchise as intended.
Netflix’s deal with Universal will mean R.I.P.D. 2: Rise of the Damned will be part of the service’s catalogue until November 2025.