Cameras are rolling in Venice on “Upgraded 2,” the sequel to Amazon MGM Studios’ 2024 romantic comedy, with Camila Mendes back as lead and Leslie Bibb joining the cast. Filming began Oct. 21 and weaves the Venice Biennale, the world’s oldest contemporary art fair, into the story. Locations include the Grand Canal terrace of Ca’ Giustinian, the Biennale’s headquarters, plus the Palazzo Franchetti exhibition space and the upscale restaurant Moro Venice. Production then moves to Rome.
Mendes returns as Ana Santos. In the first film, Ana is an intern at a New York auction house who pretends to hold a higher job after a first-class upgrade on a flight to London. She impresses William, a wealthy Englishman with ties to the art world, played by Archie Renaux. This time she tries to make her mark at the Biennale. One report says she curates a high-stakes comeback and teams with a rival curator to keep heartbroken artists from self-destructing, and the pair invent a fake-dating plan that works a little too well.
Bibb’s part remains a mystery. Reports so far give no indication of her role. She earned an Emmy nomination as a guest actress in a comedy series for the final season of HBO’s “Hacks,” and her film credits include the “Iron Man” movies. No further casting has been announced. That leaves open whether Renaux returns.
The creative team has a new face at the front. Becca Gleason directs, with Luke Roberts and Justin Matthews, who wrote the first film, returning to write the script. Carlson Young directed the original. Producers include Mike Karz and Bill Bindley for Gulfstream Pictures, Mendes and Rachel Matthews for Honor Role, Lena Roklin and Piers Tempest.
Amazon MGM Studios holds global distribution rights, and the film will stream on Prime Video in more than 240 countries and territories. A premiere date has not been announced. The sequel trades London for Italy, and the Biennale gives it a built-in backdrop of real art-world glamour.
