Buena Vista Pictures
We heard way back in October 2013 that an Olympus Has Fallen sequel was going to be called London Has Fallen and would clearly be set in London. Now we hear word that this action follow-up will be released on October 2, 2015. Focus Features, which used to be an art house arm for Universal Studios, is distributing the definitely not an art house movie, and this is what it’ll be about: The UK Prime Minister has mysteriously did and now all the western world’s leaders are in town for the funeral – which is a perfect way to kill them all, unless the President of the United States (Aaron Eckhart) has brought along his favorite Secret Service agent, played by Gerard Butler.
Having that plot synopsis so early is good, because now Roland Emmerich can make a sequel to White House Down with the same plot. Or at least just set a follow-up in England, which wouldn’t seem as much like a copycat given all the other sequels that have made the same jump over the pond for a jolly good change of scenery. If you’re not sure what I mean, just check out the following second outings that brought their franchises across the Atlantic.
3 Men and a Little Lady – The baby from the first movie is now a little lady, and she’s about to move to England with her mom, I think to flee Ted Danson, Steve Guttenberg and Tom Selleck after their attempt at rap music. Once there, Ted Danson disguises himself as an old priest and talks in a funny British accent.
Agent Cody Banks 2: Destination London – It only makes sense to send a junior James Bond type to that destination, even if he’s CIA. While there he meets a girl his age who’s MI6.
Annie: A Royal Adventure – She met President Roosevelt in the original, so why not meet the King of England in the follow-up? She also gets to thwart a plot to blow up Buckingham Palace.
Cars 2 – The joke is that it’s Big Bentley, like the car, instead of Big Ben. I think that’s the main reason Pixar had the final race in this sequel set in London.
Twentieth Century Fox Film Corporation
Garfield 2: A Tale of Two Kitties – The only thing better than that title is the alternate, Garfield 2: The Prince and the Paw-per. RIP Bob Hoskins.
The Great Muppet Caper – The best Muppet movie of them all, even if there is absolutely no reason its plot had to be set in London.
The Mummy Returns – The brief section in London is worth it for the double-decker bus part.
National Lampoon’s European Vacation – England is just the first stop for the Griswalds before heading to the continent. They see Big Ben, Parliament, have trouble adjusting to the traffic differences and knock over Stonehenge.
National Treasure: Book of Secrets — Why wasn’t this one titled International Treasure? Is it because International Velvet was a disappointment?
Patriot Games – Also only briefly in England at the beginning, simply to show how the villain of a CIA action movie could fit the ’90s IRA trend.
Russian Dolls – This disappointing spread-out sequel to The Spanish Apartment involves some new subtexts regarding the unification of Europe, including one storyline set in London.
Shanghai Knights – Owen Wilson and Jackie Chan ship themselves, Muppet-like to England, where they encounter spotted dick jokes, an anachronistic Charlie Chaplin played by a young Kick-Ass and a Safety Last homage on the Big Ben clock face.
The Thompsons – In this sequels to The Hamiltons, a vampire clan changes their name and flees to the UK. I’d never heard of either movie before today.
Thor: The Dark World – I can’t remember why Stellan Skarsgard and Natalie Portman’s characters were now in England, but I don’t buy that they’d bring along their annoying intern. I’m sure there are plenty of annoying interns to replace here there.
Trekkies 2 — In this documentary sequel we meet Star Trek fans outside of the U.S., including one guy making his flat look like the inside of a starship.