‘Those Movies Are Insane’: Anna Kendrick Praises A Simple Favor’s Paul Feig, Teases The Sequel’s Craziness

Anna Kendrick and Blake Lively sipping drinks in A Simple Favor
(Image credit: Lionsgate)

One comedy that stands a good chance of hitting the 2025 movie schedule is A Simple Favor 2. After the first movie starring Anna Kendrick and Blake Lively creeped into our hearts back in 2018, director Paul Feig has brought the pair of women back together for another fun crime thriller. Kendrick recently spoke about the sequel as we await the A Simple Favor 2 release date.

Anna Kendrick is currently promoting her directorial debut, Woman Of The Hour, which will be available to stream with a Netflix subscription this weekend. While speaking on The Jess Cagle Show (via YouTube), she was asked by the hosts whether she was eyeing to helm the sequel rather than Feig after getting behind the camera. Here’s what she had to say:

I could not possibly get inside the magic that makes those movies work. Believe me. Every day on the first one, on the second one, I’m going, ‘Paul, does this make sense? Is this okay?’ Because I’m sorry. Those movies are insane, so I’m very glad that I’m not responsible for that because he’s got that magic mind that makes it all work in spite of the fact that none of it should work. So, very grateful that Paul is around and wanted to do the second one.

As Kendrick shared on the radio show, she would never want to replace her A Simple Favor director due to how he’s able to pull off the unique tone of the comedy that threads a needle between fun and drama. Aside from the A Simple Favor movies, Paul Feig has been responsible for steering the phenomenon of a movie that is Bridesmaids, along with The Heat and Spy. He has a “magic mind” indeed!

As the radio hosts shared their love for the first movie, Anna Kendrick teased a little something about the sequel. In her words:

Well, you’re in for a treat because the second one really ups the ante. I can promise you that.

Our Exclusive SDCC Paul Feig Interview

News of the second A Simple Favor movie was announced in 2022, with the screenwriter from the first movie, Jessica Sharzer, back to write the sequel’s script. A Simple Favor 2 was filmed in spring 2024, and when Paul Feig spoke with CinemaBlend during San Diego Comic Con, he gave us an update on the movie. Feig said he is “so happy with it” and that the movie “scored through the roof” when they tested it early with audiences.

Along with A Simple Favor 2 having Kendrick and Lively back to sip martinis, Henry Golding, Andrew Rannells, Bashir Salahuddin, Joshua Satine and Ian Ho will reprise their roles as well. While the movie’s release date hasn’t been revealed, we suspect it is on the way next year. After the twists and turns of the first movie, it’ll be exciting to see just how the movie “ups the ante.”

A Simple Favor is one of the best comedies to watch on Netflix right now. You can do a crime thriller Anna Kendrick double feature starting this Friday when Woman of the Hour hits the streaming service.

Sarah El-Mahmoud
Staff Writer

Sarah El-Mahmoud has been with CinemaBlend since 2018 after graduating from Cal State Fullerton with a degree in Journalism. In college, she was the Managing Editor of the award-winning college paper, The Daily Titan, where she specialized in writing/editing long-form features, profiles and arts & entertainment coverage, including her first run-in with movie reporting, with a phone interview with Guillermo del Toro for Best Picture winner, The Shape of Water. Now she's into covering YA television and movies, and plenty of horror. Word webslinger. All her writing should be read in Sarah Connor’s Terminator 2 voice over.