Escape Room 2: Everything you need to know
Escape Room 2 has been hit with a series of delays, but we will be trapped again in the world's deadliest room in 2022.
The first movie might not have been a massive hit with the critics and it seemed as though its cliffhanger ending might have been for nothing. However, it connected with audiences and grossed more than $155 million from only a $9 million budget.
Those are the kinds of numbers that lead to an inevitable sequel and Columbia Pictures quickly confirmed one in February 2019. Adam Robitel is back as director, along with Maria Melnik (who co-wrote the first movie with Bragi F Schut) and producer Neal H Moritz.
As has been the case with every other movie around in the past year, Escape Room 2's path to the big screen hasn't been a smooth one. There have been numerous release date delays, but it seems that finally we have a confirmed release.
When it finally does arrive in cinemas, what can we expect from Escape Room 2?
Escape Room 2 release date: When is Escape Room 2 released?
The sequel was originally set to hit cinemas on April 17, 2020, before a series of delays saw it pushed back to January 1, 2021 in the US and January 29, 2021 in the UK.
Even that one wasn't to be, but Sony eventually confirmed that Escape Room 2 would arrive in cinemas on January 7, 2022 in the US and UK. Here's hoping that release date sticks as the January slot worked so well for the first movie.
Watch Escape Room on Prime Video
It appears as though the movie is ready to roll and the delays were more down to ensuring people can see it in cinemas.
"Well, we are hoping to go theatrically.. so we are waiting to see if / when vaccine and people are returning to theaters. Hope you're staying well and safe. Thanks for your excitement," Robitel responded to a fan on Twitter.
Escape Room 2 cast: Who's coming back in Escape Room 2?
Well, the first movie didn't exactly leave too many characters alive to return for the sequel.
Of the six unfortunate people who entered the escape room, only two made it out alive: shy student Zoey (Taylor Russell) and grocery store worker Ben (Logan Miller).
The official casting announcement confirmed the expected return of Russell and Miller, and they'll be joined by Pose star Indya Moore, Teen Wolf's Holland Roden, Orphan's Isabelle Fuhrman, Carlito Olivero and Thomas Cocquerel.
Don't go expecting any returns though from the likes of Daredevil's Deborah Ann Woll or Reaper's Tyler Labine, unless it's somehow revealed that they didn't die in the escape room and survived.
Escape Room 2 plot: How was Escape Room 2 set up?
In the first movie, it's revealed that the six players were picked because they were sole survivors of various incidents, including a plane crash and a carbon monoxide leak.
Ben initially thinks he's the sole survivor of the escape room and meets the Gamemaster (Yorick van Wageningen) who tells him that some rich people are betting on the game and watching it all happen.
The $10,000 prize is all a big con too and as the Gamemaster tries to kill him to prevent the secret getting out, Zoey reappears having survived the toxic gas earlier. She saves Ben, with the two of them killing the Gamemaster.
Zoey leads the police to the building (run by a company called Minos), but it's now deserted and apparently there's no evidence to back up Zoey's story.
She doesn't let it go though and six months later, Zoey meets up with Ben again and shows him everything she's found out about Minos, including the fact that the deaths of the other players have been covered up as other accidents. Ben agrees to go with her to the headquarters of Minos in New York City.
We then cut to a plane crash, but it's not Zoey and Ben's flight. Instead it's a simulation of a new escape room created by Minos that has a 4% chance of survival. A shadowy figure then reveals that he wants it ready for Zoey and Ben's flight.
While the plot for the sequel is being kept under lock and key, it should pick up from this cliffhanger and what happens next to Zoey and Ben.
Whether they're dispatched as part of a pre-title sequence before we follow another bunch of unfortunate players remains to be seen, but we wouldn't bet against it.
Escape Room 2 trailer: Any Escape Room 2 trailer yet?
In September 2020, Robitel said that a trailer was "in the works", but then the movie got delayed from January 2021, so we imagine the trailer was hit with a similar move.
Now that we know it's coming in 2022 (hopefully), we should see a first trailer later this year. Perhaps in October as a Halloween treat?
Escape Room 2 is out on January 7, 2022.
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