Rodriguez Commits to ‘Sin City 2’

Rosario Dawson as Gail and Clive Owen as Dwight in ‘Sin City’.

Update: A release date of October 4, 2013 has been set. Mickey Rourke and Jessica Alba have signed on to return in their respective roles.

Fans of Sin City began clamoring for a sequel soon after its 2005 release, and for the past several years co-writers/directors Robert Rodriguez and Frank Miller (the latter of whom created the comic book series upon which the movie was based) have played coy about the matter, dropping maybes and soons while working on their respective side projects (i.e., more Spy Kids flicks, Machete, and *shudder* The Spirit).

A big step forward was finally taken, with Rodriguez and Miller formally committing to make a sequel. Dimension Films issued the following press release today:

“AUSTIN, TX (12 April 2012) – Filmmakers Robert Rodriguez and Frank Miller, along with producer Alexander Rodnyansky, have announced that production will commence on the highly anticipated sequel to 2005’s Sin City, entitled Sin City: A Dame To Kill For. The film will be produced by AR Films and Quick Draw Productions, financed through AR Films U.S and released domestically by Dimension Films.

‘The first question I am always asked is “When will you make another Sin City?”,’ said Rodriquez. ‘I have wanted to re-team with Frank Miller and return to the world he created since the day we wrapped the original, but have felt a duty to the fans to wait until we had something truly exceptional that would meet and exceed what have become epic expectations. A Dame To Kill For will certainly be worth the wait.’

Sin City creator, screenwriter and co-director Frank Miller said, ‘The first Sin City knocked out audiences who had never seen anything like it before. Robert Rodriguez and I are going to shake things up and deliver a ferocious film experience that is going to go even further than the first.’

Rodriguez and Miller on the set of ‘Sin City’ in 2004.

The script and details of the film’s story have been kept tightly under wraps. Casting will begin next week, with many of the original cast expected to return. The film, a Quick Draw Production, will be produced by Rodriguez and producing partners Aaron Kaufman and Iliana Nikolic; and by Alexander Rodnyansky and Sergei Bespalov and Stephen L’Hereux. Miller, The Weinstein Company’s Harvey and Bob Weinstein and Miramax’s Adam Fields will act as executive producers. Sin City: A Dame to Kill For was developed by Frank Miller based upon his graphic novel, with a screenplay by Frank Miller and Academy Award winner William Monahan (The Departed).

The film is expected to begin production this summer at Rodriguez’s Troublemaker Studios in Austin, Texas. Alexander Rodnyansky said, ‘We are delighted to continue our relationship with Robert Rodriguez and Quick Draw Productions. It is a rare opportunity to produce and finance a film with the high profile and enormous fan base of the Sin City franchise. AR FIlms will be managing worldwide sales of Sin City: A Dame to Kill For, as well as Robert’s Machete Kills at the Cannes Film Festival in May.’

The original Sin City was brought to the screen by Rodriguez and Miller and released by Dimension in 2005, and proved to be a landmark step forward in filmmaking, breaking ground with immersive green screen to create its iconic stylish look. The first film, released on April 1, 2005, grossed over $160 million (US) worldwide and is a consistently strong home video and television performer.

Mickey Rourke as Marv in ‘Sin City’.

‘Audiences have been clamoring for Sin City 2 with Robert and Frank for a long time and trust me, it will be worth the wait,’ said Bob Weinstein, co-chairman of The Weinstein Company. ‘This will be my 11th collaboration with Robert in 16 years and he’s become a great friend. I look forward to continuing our long lasting relationship and partnering on more projects in the future.’