While in the US Til Schweiger has been best-known as the muscle-bound and charismatic supporting player showcased in such action flicks as Inglorious Basterds and The Three Musketeers. But in his native Germany this rugged actor is not only one of the nation's biggest stars, but also a heralded writer, director, and comedian. Last year, Schweiger directed his seventh feature, the charming comedy Kokowaah, in which he starred opposite his nine-year-old daughter, Emma Tiger Schweiger, which may be the coolest celebrity kid name ever. The family-friendly feature centered on a conceited playboy who is forced to abruptly change his life when a young girl appears on his doorstep insisting she's his long-lost daughter. Kokowaah went on to earn €30.3 million (nearly $40 million) in Germany, making it the country's most successful release of 2011. Now this achievement has caught the notice of Warner Bros., which THR reveals has signed on to produce a sequel.
While Schweiger co-wrote, produced, directed, and starred in the original, there is no word yet on what role he would play beyond star in Kokowaah 2 alongside Emma Tiger. Expect more details to emerge as Kokowaah 2 approaches its scheduled start date this fall. The film aims to open in Germany in February of 2013, and will hopefully later earn a U.S. run.
In the meantime, Schweiger is working on a thriller called The Guardian, which he co-wrote and will co-star himself and yet another Schweiger daughter, 15-year-old Luna. It's not known if The Guardian will garner a U.S. release, but American fans of Schweiger need not worry as the captivating Renaissance man will soon be seen in the spy versus spy action-comedy This Means War, which opens in time for Valentine's Day. Still, let's hope some more of Schweiger's international work finds its way to the U.S., as he is painfully underused in Hollywood.
