The eclectic group of longtime friends comes together for more misadventures across the seas in the upcoming film Book Club 2: The Next Chapter. A first look into the Book Club sequel premiered Monday with Focus Pictures releasing the film’s first official trailer.
The trailer begins with the opening statement, “Life is like a novel. You never know what the next chapter will bring,” as our beloved book club members reunite for a surprise engagement announcement. The good news of Vivian’s (Jane Fonda) engagement sparks the brilliant idea for the women to embark on a girl’s trip to Italy for the fun they’ve never had. “We might never have a chance to do something like this again,” Carol (Mary Steenburgen) pleads with the women in the trailer before deciding to head to Italy. However, their European excursion quickly goes off the rails and secrets are revealed in the process, turning their celebratory vacation into a once-in-a-lifetime cross-country adventure.
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The romantic comedy once again includes its all-star leading ladies with Fonda, Steenburgen, Diane Keaton, and Candice Bergen all reprising their roles as Vivian, Diane, Sharon, and Carol respectively. Andy Gracia, Craig T. Nelson, and Don Johnson are also reprising their roles from the 2018 film and new faces are joining the ensemble cast including Vincent Riotta, Giancarlo Giannini, and Hugh Quarshie.
Bill Holderman returns as director, co-writer, and co-producer for the film alongside his co-writer and producing partner from the prequel, Erin Simms. Executive producers include Brad Weston, Trish Hofmann, Enzo Sisti, and Andrew Duncan with Focus Pictures taking over the U.S. distribution and Universal Pictures International handling the film’s overseas rollout.
The Book Club Women Have A Real Life Bond As Friends
Paramount Pictures
Bill Holderman made his directorial debut with the romantic comedy smash hit Book Club. The prequel followed longtime book club members turned friends — Vivian, Carol, Sharon, and Diane — after they experience an awakening while reading the Fifty Shades of Grey book series. The wake-up call prompts the women to re-examine their lives, leading the four women to search for new meaning and indulge in pleasures they previously withheld from.
When Book Club premiered in 2018, the film saw unprecedented box office success and received praise for the performances from its veteran cast. The women shared an undeniable connection as friends on screen that turned out to ignite real-life friendships among the cast members. Before the 2018 release of their film, Mary Steenburgen told PEOPLE about the burgeoning connection with her costars. “Something just connected between the four of us. It was really fun to be in a situation where we had so much in common so many things to talk about,” Steenburgen mentions when speaking on her fellow castmates. “I adore each one of them,” she adds. “We’ve become true friends.”
The sequel has been years in the making since 2019 with Steenburgen first announcing the likelihood of the quartet’s return to Andy Cohen on his Sirius XM radio show, Radio Andy. The news broke after she mentioned how “obsessed” the women are with each other, additionally sharing a recount of their off-camera potluck reunion at Diane Keaton’s home. The blossomed connection between the four Hollywood juggernauts is bound to reappear in the upcoming sequel, and it should translate to another fantastic on-screen performance from the quartet. Book Club 2: The Next Chapter premieres in theaters on Mother’s Day, May 12th, 2023. Check out the trailer for the upcoming film below!
