Wait, is Stephanie Smothers actually back? Yes. Honestly, the first movie was such a weird, neon-soaked fever dream that a sequel felt like a long shot for a while. But A Simple Favor 2—or as some are calling it, another Simple Favor movie—is officially moving past the "rumor" stage and into actual reality. If you remember that ending where Blake Lively’s character, Emily, was playing basketball in prison like some sort of chic inmate queen, you knew the story wasn't really over. Paul Feig is back in the director's chair, and he’s bringing the martinis with him.
The original 2018 film was this bizarre cocktail of Gone Girl mystery and Bridesmaids comedy. It shouldn't have worked. It did. Now, Lionsgate and Amazon MGM Studios are betting that lightning strikes twice, this time with an international backdrop.
Why Capri is the New Connecticut
The first movie thrived on the suffocating, judgmental energy of American suburbia. You had the bake sales, the vlogs, and the competitive parenting. For A Simple Favor 2, they’ve traded the kitchen island for the Italian coast. Specifically, the island of Capri. It’s a massive shift in vibe. Imagine Anna Kendrick’s frantic, over-prepared energy clashing with the effortless, wealthy lethality of Emily Nelson against a Mediterranean sunset. It’s a genius move for the brand.
Production kicked off in spring 2024. The plot revolves around a lavish wedding. Whose wedding? Well, Emily’s, of course. She’s set to marry a rich Italian businessman, which feels exactly like the kind of grift or genuine reinvention Emily would pull after getting out of prison. But since this is a Feig-directed thriller, the wedding is mostly just a gorgeous excuse for bodies to start dropping. There’s going to be "murder and betrayal," which, let’s be real, is just a Tuesday for these characters.
The Return of the Original Chaos Crew
You can’t have this franchise without the central duo. Anna Kendrick is returning as Stephanie Smothers. We last saw her becoming a sort of part-time private eye/successful lifestyle influencer. Blake Lively is back as Emily, presumably having found a way to look fashionable in a jumpsuit or simply having charmed her way out of a sentence.
Henry Golding is also confirmed to return as Sean Townsend. His character was always a bit of a localized disaster—stuck between these two powerhouse women—and it’ll be interesting to see if he’s finally grown a spine or if he’s just there to look handsome in a linen suit.
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Then there’s the supporting cast. Andrew Rannells, Bashir Salahuddin, and Kelly McCormack are all slated to appear. They provided a lot of the dry, side-eye humor in the first film. The new additions are where things get spicy. Allison Janney is joining the cast. If you’ve seen her in anything from The West Wing to I, Tonya, you know she brings a specific kind of sharp-tongued authority that fits this universe perfectly.
The Stephanie and Emily Dynamic
What made the first movie "sticky" for audiences wasn't just the "where is Emily?" mystery. It was the toxic, fascinating friendship between a lonely, over-achieving mom and a high-fashion sociopath. Stephanie wants to be Emily; Emily wants to use Stephanie. By the end of the first film, that dynamic flipped. Stephanie became the one with the upper hand.
In the sequel, expect that power struggle to be the engine of the plot. Stephanie is no longer the naive vlogger. She’s seen blood. She’s lied to the police. She’s "evolved." Seeing an empowered Stephanie go head-to-head with an Emily who has nothing left to lose is the main draw here.
Addressing the "Direct-to-Streaming" Question
Here is a bit of a bummer for the theater purists: A Simple Favor 2 is heading to Prime Video. While the first one was a solid box office hit for Lionsgate—grossing nearly $100 million on a modest budget—the industry has shifted. Amazon MGM Studios is the co-producer here. This means while there might be a limited theatrical run for awards eligibility or "event" status, most of us will be watching Stephanie’s latest vlog from our couches.
Is this bad? Not necessarily. The first film became a massive cult hit because of streaming and home rentals. It’s the kind of movie you watch with a drink in your hand and a group chat open.
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What to Expect from the Script
Jessica Sharzer is back writing the screenplay. This is crucial. She nailed the "mommy-noir" tone the first time around. The challenge with a sequel to a mystery is that you can’t just do the same "is she dead or alive?" trope again. The audience is too smart for that.
Instead, the sequel seems to be leaning into the "heist" or "con" aspect of the genre. With an Italian wedding as the centerpiece, there are endless possibilities for social climbing, poisoning, and elaborate costume changes. Paul Feig has mentioned in interviews that he wanted to maintain the "escapist" quality of the first one but crank up the stakes.
The Fashion is a Character
We have to talk about the suits. Blake Lively’s wardrobe in the first film—mostly borrowed from Paul Feig’s own personal style of dapper tailoring—set the internet on fire. It was a masterclass in using costume to convey power. For the sequel, expect the Italian setting to influence the look. Think high-end Mediterranean chic, but with a hidden pocket for a weapon.
Sorting Fact from Fiction
There have been a few rumors floating around TikTok and X (formerly Twitter) that need clearing up. No, the movie is not a prequel. Some fans thought we might get the "origin story" of Emily’s twin sisters, but the casting confirms this is a direct chronological follow-up.
Also, despite some fan theories, the movie is not based on a second book. Darcey Bell wrote the original novel, but there isn't a published sequel. This story is being built from the ground up by Sharzer and Feig. This actually gives them more freedom. They aren't beholden to a plot that might not fit the cinematic versions of these characters.
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Why This Sequel Actually Matters
Sequels to mid-budget comedies/thrillers are rare these days. Usually, everything is a superhero movie or a horror reboot. A Simple Favor 2 represents a return to "adult" entertainment that doesn't take itself too seriously. It’s stylish. It’s mean-spirited in a fun way. It’s colorful.
The first film worked because it understood the absurdity of suburban life. The second one needs to understand the absurdity of the "one percent" traveling abroad. If it can capture that same biting social commentary while giving us a genuine "whodunnit," it’ll be a win for Amazon.
Production Timeline and Release
As of now, the film is in post-production. While an exact date hasn't been plastered on a poster yet, a late 2025 or early 2026 release is the most logical window. They’ll want to hit that sweet spot when people are craving something stylish and fun—maybe around the holidays or early spring.
How to Prepare for the Sequel
If you haven't watched the first one in a few years, go back and pay attention to the details of Stephanie’s vlog. The way she manipulates her audience is a massive clue into how her character will behave in Italy. She isn't the victim anymore. She’s a player in the game.
- Re-watch the first film: It’s currently streaming on various platforms like Library or for rent on Apple/Amazon. Look for the small lies Stephanie tells—they matter.
- Follow the cast: Blake Lively and Anna Kendrick have famously "trolled" each other on social media during the first film’s promotion. Expect the marketing campaign for the sequel to be just as meta and entertaining.
- Brush up on the "Mommy Noir" genre: If you like this vibe, check out Gone Girl or The Girl on the Train, but remember that A Simple Favor is intentionally funnier and more satirical than those.
The most important thing to remember about A Simple Favor 2 is that nothing is as it seems. If the first movie taught us anything, it’s that "a simple favor" is never actually simple. It’s usually a contract signed in blood, wrapped in a beautiful silk scarf. Keep your eyes on the background characters in the wedding scenes; in a Paul Feig mystery, the person standing in the corner is usually the one holding the knife.
Keep an eye on official Prime Video trailers dropping in the coming months. That’s where the first real look at the "new" Emily and Stephanie will be revealed, likely with a killer soundtrack and at least one very expensive hat.