Blake Lively, Anna Kendrick’s ‘A Simple Favor’ Sequel: What to Know

Raise a glass! After the widespread success of A Simple Favor, Anna Kendrick and Blake Lively will return for a sequel to the movie.

The dark-comedy thriller, which was released in 2018, is based on the book of the same name by Darcey Bell. In the hit film, viewers are introduced to mommy blogger Stephanie (Kendrick) who meets wealthy mom Emily (Lively) and they immediately hit it off.

However, Emily vanishes under questionable circumstances and her new friend decides to seek out the truth with her own amateur investigation. The original film was written by Jessica Sharzer and directed by Paul Feig. In March 2022, it was confirmed that A Simple Favor would return with a sequel.

“I can’t wait to revisit the hilarious, deeply dark inner world of Stephanie Smothers, and reunite Stephanie and Emily under the watchful and stylish eye of the glorious Paul Feig,” the Pitch Perfect actress told Entertainment Weekly about playing the lead role again.

Feig, for his part, opened up about reuniting with Sharzer to bring the mysterious world back to life, adding, “A Simple Favor is one of my favorite films I’ve ever made and it’s all because of the amazing writing of Jessica Sharzer and our stunning, hilarious cast headed by my brilliant heroes Anna and Blake. Expect more stylish twists and turns than Ralph Lauren making pretzels while driving down Lombard Street.”

While working on the first film, Kendrick discussed her dynamic with Lively and how it was years in the making.

“I met Blake a couple of times before I did this movie and I thought she was incredibly sweet and kind,” the actress told Harper’s Bazaar in 2018. “Then getting to know her a little better, it was nice to find out about her sense of humor. She’s got a dark side, a sarcastic side, and that’s great because it’s nice when somebody’s nice, but how are you going to get along with them for an entire movie when you have my brain? So that was fantastic.”

Amid unsubstantiated rumors of a feud between the costars, Kendrick broke down how she and Lively worked together on their kissing scene.

“I mean, all I’m ever thinking about in [kissing] scenes is, who has gum? Who has a mint?” the Emmy nominee told PrideSource at the time. “And I think Blake is probably the same because I’ve never experienced a guy, searching for gum. So, we were the mintiest, freshest two people to have ever kissed in the history of America.”

Scroll down for everything to know about the sequel to A Simple Favor: