Until recently, the sequel to 2012’s sleeper hit had been known simply as The Best Exotic Marigold Hotel 2. Director John Madden, however, is insistent that it’s more than a straight sequel, entitling it instead The Second Best Exotic Marigold Hotel.
The first film took an impressive $136m. at the global box office, and the second is sure to bring audiences back for more when it arrives early next year. We’ve still got a little while to wait, with its arrival slated for February/March 2015, but Fox Searchlight is wasting no time in building the anticipation, launching the first trailer today.
THE SECOND BEST EXOTIC MARIGOLD HOTEL is the expansionist dream of Sonny (Dev Patel), and it’s making more claims on his time than he has available, considering his imminent marriage to the love of his life, Sunaina (Tina Desai). Sonny has his eye on a promising property now that his first venture, The Best Exotic Marigold Hotel for the Elderly and Beautiful, has only a single remaining vacancy – posing a rooming predicament for fresh arrivals Guy (Richard Gere) and Lavinia (Tamsin Greig). Evelyn and Douglas (Judi Dench and Bill Nighy) have now joined the Jaipur workforce, and are wondering where their regular dates for Chilla pancakes will lead, while Norman and Carol (Ronald Pickup and Diana Hardcastle) are negotiating the tricky waters of an exclusive relationship, as Madge (Celia Imrie) juggles two eligible and very wealthy suitors. Perhaps the only one who may know the answers is newly installed co-manager of the hotel, Muriel (Maggie Smith), the keeper of everyone’s secrets. As the demands of a traditional Indian wedding threaten to engulf them all, an unexpected way forward presents itself.
Dev Patel, Judi Dench, Bill Nighy, and Maggie Smith lead another stellar ensemble, joined this time by Richard Gere, Penelope Wilton, Tamsin Grieg, Ronald Pickup, Celia Imrie, Lillete Dubey, Tena Desae, and Diana Hardcastle.
Madden is once more directing from a script by Ol Parker, who wrote the original 2012 hit.
The Second Best Exotic Marigold Hotel will be released in the UK on February 27th, 2015, before starting its run in the US on March 6th.
