Trailers have been released for two unexpected direct-to-video sequels inspired by big-budget Universal Pictures action-fantasy flops.
First up “R.I.P.D. 2: Rise of the Damned” follows up the 2010 title “R.I.P.D.” which starred Jeff Bridges and Ryan Reynolds. “Burn Notice” star Jeffrey Donovan leads this follow-up which serves as a prequel and shifts the demon-hunting action into a period setting.
In the film, the Wild West has gone to Hell, literally, and the world’s best hope of being saved lies in the gun-slinging hands of Sheriff Roy Pulsipher (Jeffrey Donovan) as he becomes the newest officer for the Rest In Peace Department (R.I.P.D.) enforcing the afterlife’s laws.
If the Old West was wild while he was alive, wait until Roy sees how weird it gets once he dies. Roy thought joining the R.I.P.D. would give him a chance to revisit his daughter and solve the mystery of his murder.
Instead, he has his holsters full with havoc and hellfire when he’s given a mission to stop a dangerous demon from opening a portal to the underworld.
The fate of the living and the dead now depends on Roy and his partner Jeanne (Penelope Mitchell), a mysterious swordswoman, as cowboys clash with creatures and undead insanity unleashes apocalyptic chaos.
Paul Leyden directs from a script co-written with Andrew Klein. Kerry Knuppe, Richard Brake, Evlyne Oyedokun and Rachel Adedeji also star. “R.I.P.D. 2: Rise of the Damned” hits digital, disc and Netflix on November 15th.
That’s not the only soon to release DTV follow-up getting a trailer today. Also out is a trailer for “Blade of the 47 Ronin,” a follow-up to the Keanu Reeves-led 2013 film “47 Ronin” which was more of a hit than “R.I.P.D.” but still didn’t make its budget back theatrically.
This one shifts the action a few centuries into the future – our time. An evil witch named Yurei, whose ancestor was slain by one of the 47 Ronin, has surfaced in modern-day Budapest determined to have his revenge.
Yurei seeks to completely destroy all samurai by uniting both halves of the powerful Tengu Sword. A prophecy claims only a descendant of the original 47 Ronin can wield the blade and defeat this great evil.
The samurai are shocked when Lord Shinshiro identifies a streetwise New Yorker named Luna as the one who was prophesied. He charges ronin Reo and apprentice Onami with training Luna to be the hero they desperately need.
With most of the samurai lords dead or missing, and a traitor hiding among them, the remaining warriors must summon all of their skills as martial arts masters to combat Yurei’s mystic magic and fulfil their destiny.
Ron Yuan directs from a script co-written by Garcia, John Swetnam and AJ Mendez. Anna Akana, Mark Dacascos, Teresa Ting, Mike Moh, Dustin Nguyen, Yoshi Sudarso and Chris Pang star.
“Blade of the 47 Ronin” hits digital, disc and Netflix on October 25th.
