Finally, some Blake Lively news that has nothing to do with lawsuits, Justin Baldoni, or It Ends With Us. Amazon Prime Video has remembered that Lively is an actress, and they have a movie to promote. Another Simple Favor, the sequel to the 2018 black comedy mystery thriller, A Simple Favor, takes the action to Capri, Italy, and the first trailer shows that Lively’s Emily Nelson isn’t done with Anna Kendrick’s Stephanie Smother just yet.

The first teaser trailer takes us back into the world of A Simple Favor by recalling Stephanie’s (Kendrick) first encounter with the mysterious yet glamorous Emily Nelson (Lively) before shifting to what appears to be the main story, which involves Emily’s wedding to an Italian businessman on the island of Capri. Despite what transpired in the first film, Stephanie has been invited to the wedding, where, as the title suggests, Emily might have something more to ask of her frienemy. In the trailer, Lively asks, “Do you think I invited you to get revenge for stealing my life and taking my kid away from me? You think I want you to pay?” Somehow it feels like there is more to Stephanie’s invitation to this wedding, which also sees a murder taking place in the middle of all this wealthy excess and martini-drinking.

‘Another Simple Favor’s Cast Features New and Returning Faces

Another Simple Favor also sees the return of Henry Golding’s Sean Townsend, Andrew Rannells’ Darren, Bashir Salahuddin’s Detective Summerville and the children of Emily and Stephanie for good measure (Joshua Satine and Ian Ho). Joining in on this latest favor are new cast additions that include Allison Janney, Elizabeth Perkins, Michele Monroe, Kelly McCormack, Elena Sofia Ricci, Alex Newell, Taylor Ortega, Lorenzo de Moor, and Aparna Nancherla. Paul Feig also returns to direct from a screenplay written by Jessica Sharzer and Laeta Kalogridis.

A Simple Favor is based on the 2017 novel of the same name by Darcey Bell and follows an energetic vlogger named Stephanie who finds herself engaged in an unlikely friendship with the elegant Emily Nelson. The two seem to form a bond, but when Emily mysteriously disappears, Stephanie soon realizes that she really didn’t know her new best friend at all.

While the film appeared to be a standard copy of Gone Girl, A Simple Favor turned its thriller premise on its head and seemingly blended those elements with a deliciously hilarious black comedy that wowed critics and audiences when it was released. A Simple Favor carries an 84% critics rating on Rotten Tomatoes, with a consensus that reads, “Twisty, twisted, and above all simply fun, A Simple Favor casts a stylish mommy noir spell strengthened by potent performances from Anna Kendrick and Blake Lively.” Budgeted at only $20 million, the film grossed $53.5 million domestically and $97.6 million worldwide.

I’m still confused as to why a sequel to a movie as successful as A Simple Favor is debuting on Prime Video rather than going theatrical. It has been explained on some level, but it still feels like a strange move and is only proof that mid-budget films are still seen as potential box office liabilities. What seems certain is that Amazon has a lot of faith in the project since it will be premiering at the South by Southwest Festival on March 7 and that announcement was made after all the unpleasantness going on with Lively currently. Will her legal issues distract from the film, or will they make it a bigger hit? Only time will tell.