19 December 2014
Newsdesk
We are delighted to announce that John Madden’s THE SECOND BEST EXOTIC MARIGOLD HOTEL has been selected for The CTBF Royal Film Performance.
The Royal and World Premiere of this eagerly awaited sequel will take place on Tuesday 17th February 2015, with members of the Royal Family, cast and filmmakers in attendance.
The CTBF, established in 1924, is the UK’s leading charity for the film and TV industries, supporting professionals and their families in times of need. The CTBF Royal Film Performance has been the charity’s principal fundraising event since 1946.
The President of the CTBF, Barry Jenkins OBE, commented,
“We are thrilled to be able to host esteemed British Director John Madden’s highly anticipated sequel, ‘THE SECOND BEST EXOTIC MARIGOLD HOTEL’. At the end of our 90th anniversary year it is fitting that we can celebrate alongside such acclaimed British filmmaking talent. We are extremely grateful to the Royal Family for their continued support and to Fox Searchlight Pictures for sharing this opportunity with us.”
THE SECOND BEST EXOTIC MARIGOLD HOTEL is the expansionist dream of Sonny (Dev Patel), and it’s making more claims on his time than he has available, considering his imminent marriage to the love of his life, Sunaina (Tina Desai). Sonny has his eye on a promising property now that his first venture, ‘The Best Exotic Marigold Hotel for the Elderly and Beautiful’, has only a single remaining vacancy – posing a rooming predicament for fresh arrivals Guy (Richard Gere) and Lavinia (Tamsin Greig). Evelyn and Douglas (Judi Dench and Bill Nighy) have now joined the Jaipur workforce, and are wondering where their regular dates for Chilla pancakes will lead, while Norman and Carol (Ronald Pickup and Diana Hardcastle) are negotiating the tricky waters of an exclusive relationship, as Madge (Celia Imrie) juggles two eligible and very wealthy suitors. Perhaps the only one who may know the answers is newly installed co-manager of the hotel, Muriel (Maggie Smith), the keeper of everyone's secrets. As the demands of a traditional Indian wedding threaten to engulf them all, an unexpected way forward presents itself.
The renowned cast has reunited for the film including stars Judi Dench, Maggie Smith, Bill Nighy, Dev Patel, Celia Imrie, Penelope Wilton, Ronald Pickup, Tina Desai, Diana Hardcastle, and Lillete Dubey. Additional cast making their debut include Tamsin Greig, with David Strathairn and Richard Gere. The film is produced by Blueprint Pictures’ Graham Broadbent, p.g.a. and Peter Czernin, p.g.a., with Participant Media's Jeff Skoll and Jonathan King, John Madden, Michael Dryer serving as executive producers.
John Madden (Shakespeare In Love) has returned to helm the follow-up companion feature to the 2012 international smash hit from an original screenplay by Ol Parker, from a story by Parker and Madden.
The film is distributed by Fox Searchlight Pictures and is released in cinemas across the UK and Ireland on 26 February 2015, and in the US on 6 March 2015.