 |
| Clockwise from top left: Yayan Ruhian, Cok Simbara, Oka Antara, Kazuki Kitamura, Iko Uwais, Arifin Putra, Alex Abbad, Ryuhei Matsuda, Cecep Arif Rahman, Julie Estelle, Very Tri Yulisman, Kenichi Endo and Tio Pakusadewo. |
Of all the historic moments in action cinema history, today’s first teaser for The Raid 2: Berandal has to be it. The upcoming follow-up to the 2011 thriller in an expected trilogy to come, The Raid: Redemption (a.k.a. Seruban Maut) already has tons of momentum since earning its worldwide fanfare from the stellar success of the first film.
In the seven months it took to complete filming, writer and director Gareth Huw Evans updated his Twitter account regularly, giving his followers a steady stream of mini progress reports detailing and documenting everything from casting and filming, and all so far included in the day and the life of the artist responsible for taking what he did in 2011, and going even bigger than that in 2014. To say the least, it has been an epic production for the cast and crew putting their blood, sweat and faith into a purely epic film production that has earned high expectations, and even greater love among fans and most critics.
Building off of a premise originally written as another standalone film project known only as Berandal before the conceiving the 2011 hit film, The Raid 2: Berandal continues just a few hours after a skilled rookie tactical officer survived the massacre of nearly his entire team during a botched mission to take down a notorious criminal and his army of killers in a 15-story apartment complex. This time, PT Merantau ups the antee as our hero is forced back into the fray to infiltrate a ruthless Jakarta crime syndicate in order uncover the corruption in his own police force, and protect his family in the process.
International action hero Iko Uwais reprises his role as the lead and stars with Tio Pakusadewo, Arifin Putra, Alex Abbad, Roy Marten and returning actor Yayan Ruhian. Also joining are Marsha Timothy, Julie Estelle, Very Tri Yulisman, Cecep Arif Rahman, Oka Antara and Epy Kusnandar, and Japanese actors Ryuhei Matsuda, Kenuchi Endo and Kazuki Kitamura.
Uwais and Ruhian directed the action sequences along with guest fight choreographer Larnell Stovall and Hong Kong stunt coordinator Bruce Law. The film is produced by PT Merantau Films and XYZ Films.
Sony Pictures Worldwide Acquisitions has multi-territorial distribution rights to the film with a North American release date to be set courtesy of Sony Pictures Classics and Stage 6 Films, following the film’s Indonesian domestic release in March.
Evans will be busy for another few years with several other film projects, including producing actor Joe Taslim’s upcoming action vehicle, The Night Comes With Us with Killers co-director Timo Tjahjanto helming. Evans is also expected to executive produce the forthcoming Hollywood remake from a script penned by Out Of The Furnace co-scribe Brad Inglesby.
Stay tuned for more information as it trickles from here on out.
Watch the new trailer for The Raid 2: Berandal, courtesy of Twitchfilm.
