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It starts with this: “It Ends with Us” star Blake Lively is back on the big screen — in a majorly big way — to open the 2025 SXSW Film & TV Festival. Lively, along with Anna Kendrick, co-lead Paul Feig’s highly-anticipated sequel to the beloved 2018 film “A Simple Favor.”
IndieWire can announce that director Feig’s “Another Simple Favor” will have its world premiere as the Opening Night film for the SXSW Film & TV Festival. The festival begins March 7 and takes place through March 14. Seth Rogen and Evan Goldberg’s Apple TV+ series “The Studio” will be the Opening Night TV premiere. Check out the full SXSW Film & TV Festival lineup here.
“Another Simple Favor” is an Amazon MGM Studios film. Producer/director Feig worked on developing the script for almost three years between 2022 and 2024 before going into production in April 2024.
The first feature was based on Darcey Bell’s bestselling novel and centered on high-powered professional Emily Nelson (Lively) going missing, while her new bestie Stephanie Smothers (Kendrick) seemingly steps into Emily’s picture-perfect life, including wooing her husband (Henry Golding). The sequel marks the return of the trio of characters as they head to Capri, Italy, for Emily’s extravagant second wedding to a rich Italian businessman.
The logline teases that “along with the glamorous guests, expect murder and betrayal to RSVP for a wedding with more twists and turns than the road from the Marina Grande to the Capri town square.” Andrew Rannells, Bashir Salahuddin, Elizabeth Perkins, Michele Morrone, Alex Newell, and Allison Janney co-star.
The script, which is based upon characters by author Bell, was written by Jessica Sharzer and Laeta Kalogridis. The film is produced by Feigco Entertainment’s Paul Feig and Laura Fischer, and executive produced by Jennifer Booth, Jessica Sharzer, and Marco Valerio Pugini. The feature is a Lionsgate and Feigco Entertainment production. Feig returns to SXSW after debuting “Bridesmaids” (2011) and “Spy” (2015) at the festival.
“When we saw this film last fall, we instantly knew it had to open SXSW. It gave us that electric feeling we live for as programmers,” Claudette Godfrey, VP Film & TV, said in a press statement. “Paul Feig and SXSW share an unmatched love for bold, fearless comedy. From that unforgettable late night screening of ‘Bridesmaids’ to Spy’s raucous world premiere, his films capture exactly what makes our festival special: wildly entertaining projects that push boundaries. We’re beyond excited to reunite with Paul and kick off the festival with a film that had our entire team laughing, cheering, and immediately wanting to watch it again!”
Feig added, “I couldn’t be more thrilled to be back at my favorite festival in the world where we successfully launched ‘Bridesmaids’ and ‘Spy,’ and I cannot begin to say how honored I am to have our film opening it all. I’ve avoided making sequels to any of my films but these characters were just too much fun not to revisit. So, to be able to have Anna, Blake, Henry, Andrew, Michele, Elizabeth, Alex, and myself watch our film with the great SXSW audience is a bucket list event that I’ll be able to check off March 7 and move playing drums for Dwight Yoakum’s band up to the top slot.”
Feig told IndieWire that “Another Simple Favor” is his version of “Godfather: Part 2” in terms of sequels. “I’m always looking forward,” Feig said. “I had so much fun doing the sequel to ‘A Simple Favor,’ but I try to avoid them. I don’t want to fall back on old properties all the time. I just think they’re good on their own. There aren’t that many great sequels in the world, I hate to say. But with ‘A Simple Favor,’ I was like, ‘Maybe we can make “Godfather 2” and not make “Speed 2,”‘ or whatever. That was always my goal.”
“Another Simple Favor” was first announced in March 2024 as a Prime Video streaming-only release. However, Feig later told IndieWire that the film could possibly get a theatrical rollout.
“Well, we don’t know [if it will only be streaming],” Feig said while promoting the action comedy film “Jackpot!”. “There’s a chance it could be in theaters. I think [streaming is] the path it’s on, but you never know.” He added, “Never say never, because I’m a big theater guy. But I love being on streamers, too. I just love being able to make movies.”
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