The surprising international box-office success of THE BEST EXOTIC MARIGOLD HOTEL in 2012 led Fox Searchlight the realise there was a niche in the market. A sequel was swiftly green lit (the specialist indie studio’s first ever) with director John Madden and screenwriter Ol Parker returning. While the first film was based on the novel by Deborah Moggach, the follow-up will be an original story centring on returnees Dev Patel and Maggie Smith co-managing “The Best Exotic Marigold Hotel for the Elderly and Beautiful”. Judi Dench, Bill Nighy, Celia Imrie, Ronald Pickup, Penelope Wilton, Diana Hardcastle, Tena Desae and Lillete Dubey are also back.
Another trio have have also booked up for a spot at the idyllic location with Richard Gere and Black Books Tamsin Greig playing a couple who manage to land the last room available. Veteran David Strathairn, soon to be seen in Gareth Edwards’ GODZILLA, is also joining the cast.
Director Madden commented:
“This film presented us with an irresistible opportunity: to continue a story we realised we had only just begun. Not to tell the same story again, but to pursue where the lives of these very different characters lead, with an audience which already holds them in great affection.”
Source: Variety
