Hollywood action icon Sylvester Stallone is 77 years old, but apparently isn’t thinking about quitting for a long time yet. Now he’s filming the sequel to a superhero movie released on Amazon Prime Video in 2022.
Originally, “Samaritan” with Sylvester Stallone as an aging superhero was supposed to hit theaters, already had a start date. But then they changed their minds – and the action thriller ended up on the streaming service Amazon Prime Video instead. And there, it could now become a franchise, because a sequel is in the works.
As The Hollywood Reporter reports, Amazon is developing “Samaritan 2” and is again relying on the star power of Sylvester Stallone. The “Rocky” actor isn’t the only key personnel returning for the sequel, however.
Screenwriter Bragi F. Schut, who also wrote the script for the first film, is also back. So fans of “Samaritan” can look forward to the story being told in one piece. And there are probably enough fans: According to Amazon, the actioner was the most-streamed film of the provider for three consecutive weeks after its release in August 2022 and exceeded expectations with its success.
“SAMARITAN 2”: CAN THE SEQUEL BETTER REALIZE ITS POTENTIAL?
No wonder Amazon Prime Video now wants to back the same horse once again. “Samaritan” from director Julius Avery (“The Pope’s Exorcist”) is about 13-year-old Sam (Javon ‘Wanna’ Walton), who is convinced that his oddball and reclusive neighbor Joe Smith (Sylvester Stallone) is actually a superhero. Because over 20 years ago, one disappeared in his town – and because Joe seems to display superhuman powers, Sam is now convinced that he has tracked down the hero who was believed dead…
The FILMSTARTS review by Sidney Schering gave “Samaritan” 3 out of 5 possible stars. The verdict: “Basic solid change of pace from the usual comic book blockbusters that had the potential to be even more. “
SylvesterStallone is set to return to produce and star in Samaritan2 with BragiFSchut also back on-board to pen the sequel. (via @THR) pic.twitter.com/kZZ7wTQpah
– M.A.A.C. (@MAActionCinema) October 25, 2023
Whether the potential to “be more” is now realized with “Samaritan 2” remains to be seen. What the sequel will be about is not yet known, as well as a possible start of production can not be foreseen yet, because the actors* in Hollywood are still on strike. Stallone had closed the deal for the superhero sequel even before the strike began, according to The Hollywood Reporter. However, we don’t expect “Samaritan 2” to launch on Amazon Prime Video until 2025.
