A trailer for R.I.P.D. 2: Rise of the Damned has just been published, and it looks like the perfect Western-meets-supernatural film for your next movie night. More gunplay and slapstick hilarity than ever before bring fans back to the land of the dead to round up some criminals. In the preview, we are reunited with Sheriff Roy Pulsipher (Jeffrey Donovan), who is shot and sent to the hereafter. Almost immediately after his arrival, he meets Jeanne (Penelope Mitchell), his new accomplice in eliminating all the evil that Hell has to offer.
Although Sheriff Roy’s primary objective is to visit his daughter and solve the mystery of his own death, he must also deal with a strong demon intent on opening a gateway to the underworld. This film stars Tilly Keeper (EastEnders), Kerry Knuppe (Voodoo Possession), Richard Fleeshman (Call the Midwife), Jake Choi (Single Parents), and Craige Els as well as the previously mentioned Jeffrey Donovan (Burn Notice) and Radha Mitchell (The Vampire Diaries). Screenwriter Andrew Klein collaborated with director Paul Leyden (Cleaners).
Nearly a decade has passed since the original film R.I.P.D. was released, making the announcement of a prequel to the film something of a surprise in light of the film’s generally unfavourable reaction.
Despite an A-list cast that featured Ryan Reynolds, Jeff Bridges, Marisa Miller, and Mary-Louise Parker, the film’s financial performance was middling at best (though it did garner a respectable cult following), according to the box office. It appears that the production was making an effort to at least partially replicate the cast of the original film, with Donovan having recently taken over the lead role in the revival of Law & Order during its 21st Season and Mitchell is well-known for her role in Vampire Diaries and more recently horror projects including Apartment 212. If the trailer is any indication, Rise of the Damned isn’t trying too hard to be taken seriously, so maybe it will at least be a hit with people who enjoy corny action movies. On November 15, R.I.P.D. 2: Rise of the Damned will be available for purchase in digital format, as well as on Blu-ray and DVD.
Synopsis
After the Wild West was actually destroyed by the forces of Hell, Sheriff Roy Pulsipher (Jeffrey Donovan) joined the Rest in Peace Department (R.I.P.D.) to enforce the rules of the afterlife and restore the planet. If Roy thought life in the Old West was strange when he was still around, he hasn’t seen anything yet. Roy hoped that by joining the R.I.P.D., he would be able to visit his daughter and figure out who killed him. Instead, when tasked with preventing a powerful demon from releasing hell on earth, he is armed to the teeth with destruction and hellfire. Roy and his mysterious swordswoman sidekick Jeanne (Penelope Mitchell) are on the hook for the apocalyptic carnage that ensues as cowboys battle monsters and the undead go mad.