Extraction 2 - Everything You Need To Know
The action-packed "Extraction" is every bit as thrilling as you'd expect a movie starring Chris Hemsworth and produced by the Russo brothers to be. Audiences took notice too, and the movie quickly became one of the most-watched Netflix original films ever. It had the biggest opening day for a movie in the streaming service's history, and current estimates project that a whopping 90 million households watched "Extraction" in its first four weeks.
So, of course, the big question was whether or not "Extraction" would get a sequel — especially since it appeared that Hemsworth's character had died at the end of the first film. However, it wasn't long before writer Joe Russo confirmed that the answer was yes. With the Russo brothers' production company, AGBO, busy working on the second installment, it's a good time to take a look at what we know about the "Extraction" sequel's release date, cast, and plot.
When will Extraction 2 be released?
Despite some considerable COVID-19-related filming setbacks, "Extraction 2" made its way through the production process at a reasonably swift pace. Eager to capitalize on the success of the first film, Netflix has put considerable resources behind getting the sequel on its streaming service as quickly as possible. "Extraction 2" began filming in November 2021, just a year and a half after the release of "Extraction," which isn't an unreasonable amount of time for pre-production, especially considering the challenges of a global pandemic. It wrapped in spring 2022, and it's been in post-production for nearly a year.
Chris Hemsworth reported via Twitter that he was back in Prague filming reshoots for "Extraction 2" in November 2022, so it's clear that this post-production period was an extensive process. Fans will get a chance to see the sequel to their beloved action film on June 16, 2023, when it will begin streaming on Netflix.
Who is starring in Extraction 2?
The biggest question for fans about the cast of "Extraction 2" ultimately boiled down to whether or not Chris Hemsworth's Tyler Rake would appear in the film. The Australian's combination of acting skills, impressive action heroics, and sheer star power played a big part in making "Extraction" the success that it was, and the movie deliberately left Rake's fate ambiguous. And as we now know, Hemsworth is enthusiastically returning to the burgeoning franchise, with Rake apparently evading death. He will be joined by his co-stars from the original "Extraction," Golshifteh Farahani as Nik Khan and Adam Bessa as Yaz Khan.
Alongside these familiar faces, we'll meet a new crew of allies and villains. We know that the actors who have signed on for the sequel include Daniel Bernhardt ("Atomic Blonde," "John Wick"), Olga Kurylenko ("Quantum of Solace," "The Death of Stalin"), Tinatin Dalakishvili ("Abigail," "Medea"), and Tornike Gogrichiani ("A Fold in My Blanket," "The Sniffer"). You can also expect to see Idris Elba appear as "the Man in the Suit," who gets the ball rolling by offering Tyler Rake a job. Elba has had a long history with Netflix projects, starring in titles like "Luther: The Fallen Sun," "The Harder They Fall," "Concrete Cowboys," and "Beasts of No Nation." Plus, he also has quite the history with Hemsworth, with both men playing powerful Asgardians in the Marvel Cinematic Universe.
What is the plot of Extraction 2?
In the first "Extraction," Chris Hemsworth's Tyler Rake was hired to rescue the kidnapped son of an Indian crime lord. Now, he's returning to the field, taking another death-defying job. As the official plot description puts it, "After barely surviving the events of the first movie, Rake is back as the Australian black ops mercenary, tasked with another deadly mission: rescuing the battered family of a ruthless Georgian gangster from the prison where they are being held."
Needless to say, Rake will encounter his fair share of obstacles along the way, including one particularly thrilling set piece. During his attempt to rescue that aforementioned family, Rake will find himself in the middle of an out-of-control prison riot. This scene is punctuated by Rake engaging in hand-to-hand combat against armored riot control guards using shields, batons, and even Molotov cocktails. Speaking with Empire Magazine, director Sam Hargrave revealed that this fight sequence is a 21-minute oner, beating the previous film's one-take action sequence by quite a hefty margin. Okay, sure, Hargrave admits the fight scene is multiple lengthy segments stitched together to give the effect of continuous action, but believe it or not, Chris Hemsworth's arm is actually on fire during this epic action sequence. Props to the A-lister for pulling off such a wild stunt.
Who is directing Extraction 2?
Fans might be surprised to learn that the first "Extraction" was the directorial debut of Sam Hargrave, who blew away all doubts with the action-packed hit film. Having gotten his start in the entertainment industry as a stunt coordinator and stuntman — most notably doubling for Chris Evans as Captain America — Hargrave seemingly followed in the footsteps of Chad Stahelski (creator of the "John Wick" franchise) by taking his stunt expertise and translating it into the best action film possible from behind the camera.
While "Extraction" was a big success for Sam Hargrave, there was uncertainty about whether or not he would come back to direct the sequel. During an interview with Collider from before production on "Extraction 2" began, Hargrave expressed doubt about whether he would direct any follow-up films himself. He said, "I would like to be as involved as possible but I also don't want to be greedy." Fortunately, he's back in the director's seat for part two, and evidently, he had quite a blast. Speaking with Entertainment Weekly, Hargrave described a crazy action sequence that involves a helicopter and takes place on top of a train. "I will never forget standing underneath that helicopter," Hargrave said. "I was our camera operator for that moment, so I was filming. I could reach out with my hand, and I could have high-fived our pilot. It was amazing."
Who is writing and producing Extraction 2?
In modern Hollywood, there are few producers who can match the success of the Russo brothers. Having gotten their start in the comedy world through involvement in shows like "Arrested Development" and "Community," the Russos quickly pivoted to directing mainstream Marvel fare with "Captain America: The Winter Soldier" and "Captain America: Civil War." Through their connections to actors like Chris Hemsworth from Marvel, they came together to make the original "Extraction" for Netflix in 2020.
"Extraction" wasn't just produced by the Russo brothers — Joe Russo also wrote the screenplay. As more information about "Extraction 2" has been brought to light, it's become clear that the Russos are as intimately involved in this sequel as they were with the first film. Needless to say, the two are producing (along with Chris Hemsworth), and Joe is penning the script again.
During a 2022 interview with Collider, Joe Russo went into detail about how his script differed from the original. He said, "It has a different color schematic. It's set in a different part of the world. It has a different pace, a different tone than the first one. And that, to us, is an interesting way to approach serializing a story, is that it's more surprising and unexpected, and you're not going to get the exact same movie that you got the last time out ... Hemsworth's fantastic in it. And we're excited to share it with audiences."
Is there a trailer for Extraction 2?
The official trailer for "Extraction 2" opens with Tyler Rake back from the dead. Having been fished out of his watery grave, we see him working hard to regain his strength, and he'll need every ounce of it on his new job. Hired to rescue a gangster's family, Tyler's mission takes him from the swankiest hotels to the most dangerous prisons. We watch him take on a posse of bad guys aboard a train, going all John Wick on these helmeted goons, and we see him during the film's much-anticipated prison riot, with Hemsworth's fiery arm punching bad guys into oblivion. The trailer promises non-stop action, and we can't wait to get that cinematic adrenaline rush when the movie hits Netflix on June 16.
What is Extraction 2 rated?
While Chris Hemsworth is best known for his family fare — the Marvel Cinematic Universe — the "Extraction" movies aren't exactly meant for kids. They're full of epic beatdowns, big explosions, and wild shoot-outs. So it's no wonder that "Extraction 2" has been given an R rating, with the official explanation being "strong/bloody violence throughout and language." While that might not sound appropriate for younger audiences, it's perfect for older fans who can't get enough of Chris Hemsworth gunning down gangsters and smashing villains into oblivion.
Impact of COVID on production
As with most movies in development since 2020, "Extraction 2" was heavily impacted by the global COVID-19 pandemic. The day-to-day aspects of film production were completely transformed, since a movie normally requires significant in-person interaction, tight working spaces, and the faces of actors to be seen without masks on camera.
"Extraction 2" had to make some significant changes because of COVID-19 after production began in earnest around September 2021 in Sydney, Australia. Due to pandemic measures in place at the time, principal photography was moved from Australia in November 2021. According to the Sydney Morning Herald, the COVID delays pushed Chris Hemsworth into scheduling conflicts that jeopardized the shoot, as he was slated to begin production on "Furiosa." Thanks to this major change, the film was shot mostly in the European cities of Prague and Vienna rather than Sydney, as originally planned. There was also the added benefit of the fact that the Russo brothers' previous film, "The Gray Man," was also shot in Prague around the same time.
Tyler Rake returns from the dead
Fans of "Extraction" will remember that things didn't end well for the film's dashing hero, the well-intentioned mercenary named Tyler Rake. This character has an intricate backstory rivaling something out of a Tom Clancy book: Rake began his military service as a Special Air Service Regiment (SASR) operative in the Australian Army before transitioning to freelance private mercenary work. His fate remains uncertain at the end of the first movie when Rake is shot in the neck before falling into a river, but is possibly seen once again as a mysterious figure before the credits roll.
It was obvious that Tyler Rake would be returning if an "Extraction 2" was ever made, but it was unclear to audiences how he possibly could have survived. The film's trailers give more context to the situation which brings Rake back to the land of the living. A voiceover in the trailer speaks over a scene of Rake getting hit in the head during a prison outbreak, recalling past memories that provide helpful exposition. We hear a voice say, "Tyler, you were clinically dead nine months ago" before adding that he "fought his way back." We can't wait to see how Tyler Rake survived his injuries sustained in "Extraction" to fight another day.
High expectations from Netflix
It's no secret that "Extraction" was a massive financial success for the Russo brothers and Netflix, generating a huge amount of buzz for the streaming platform almost overnight. When the original film was released back in 2020, it ended up becoming one of the most-viewed pieces of original content ever made, with over 99 million households tuning in within the first four weeks of the movie's availability. Chris Hemsworth even commented on the popularity of "Extraction" in an Instagram post, saying, "Hey what's up guys? Hope you're doing well. I just want to say a massive thank you to everyone that checked out Extraction. You've made it the #1 film on the planet right now." This made it clear to producers that "Extraction" was a new franchise that sells — and a sequel will need to go even bigger to up the ante.
According to data regarding "Extraction," the first film had a modest action budget of around $65 million that went to primarily to its action set pieces and on-screen talent. Because the first movie ended up being such a hit for the studio, Netflix seems to be anticipating "Extraction 2" being successful as well.
Chris Hemsworth is excited to return to role
Chris Hemsworth is a household name thanks to his tenure as the otherworldly comic book god, Thor. He first portrayed the character in "Thor," and has since become one of the core members of the Avengers. Hemsworth has proven himself to be an entertaining and versatile performer who can do everything from thrilling action to gut-busting comedy in films such as "Thor: Love and Thunder," "Blackhat," "Ghostbusters," and "Rush."
In "Extraction," he plays the role of the hard-hitting mercenary Tyler Rake as he's on a series of covert black ops missions. While it's clear that Hemsworth enjoys playing characters with a bit of humor to them, he has also shown significant enthusiasm for returning to his action-packed performance as Rake in "Extraction 2." During an interview with Still Watching Netflix, Hemsworth broke down the film's teaser trailer, saying, "I'm excited for people to see the emotional sort of story behind this character and who these characters were," before later adding, "I think there's a beautiful narrative and story here that people are gonna appreciate."
Extraction 2 goes into Tyler Rake's backstory
"Extraction" struck an interesting balance between high-octane action and subtle mystery surrounding its stoic main character, Tyler Rake. It became clear watching the first film that he wasn't always a cold-blooded black market mercenary, as the story peeled back layers of his life as an Australian soldier and his complicated family situation. Fans have been craving more information about who Rake was before the events of "Extraction," and according to the film's teaser trailer, they're finally going to get some.
For "Extraction 2," the filmmakers seem to be diving into the past before Rake became a full-time soldier of fortune using flashbacks as a way to develop his backstory. There's been consistent speculation that the story will feature scenes set long before the events of the main story to give glimpses at Rake's life as an SASR operator in Australia. This has — sort of — been confirmed by Hemsworth himself during a breakdown of the trailer when he said, "This is all the flashback to, well, even before the first film," during a shot of Rake's son in a hospital bed, showing that some of the tragic backstory set up in "Extraction" will be elaborated on in the sequel.
Extraction 2 was filmed in unique locations
For an action flick like "Extraction 2," it isn't surprising to learn that the production took place all over the world at a variety of unique and interesting locations. Although the majority of the first "Extraction" was filmed in Australia, the COVID pandemic forced production to hop around from place to place to keep the shoot going as efficiently as possible. Filming for this sequel originally was similarly going to take place in Sydney, Australia but where's the fun in doing the same thing twice? That's why some of these European shooting locations give "Extraction 2" an authentic, exotic, and globe-trotting feeling.
One of the primary filming locations for "Extraction 2" ended up being the ancient city of Prague in the Czech Republic, which began principal photography in November of 2021 with Chris Hemsworth arriving on set soon after. What's more interesting than that however is the filming done for "Extraction 2" in an unusual place for Hollywood filmmaking: Austria.
According to one Austrian site, MeinBezirk, the production team for this soon-to-be Netflix hit actually began filming in Austria's capital of Vienna back in January of 2022 nearby some notable landmarks such as the DC Towers in Donau City. While other films such as "Mission Impossible 5" have filmed scenes in similar locations in Vienna, "Extraction 2" is the biggest film in a long time to shoot on location in this historic European city.
Will there be an Extraction 3?
Everybody's always looking for the next big franchise, and Netflix seems to have found a sustainable series with "Extraction." Assuming "Extraction 2" does the same kind of numbers that the first movie did, will we be seeing an "Extraction 3?" Well, if Chris Hemsworth has anything to say about it, the answer is a big, emphatic yes.
Speaking with Total Film, the Tyler Rake actor spoke enthusiastically about the action series, saying, "I love playing the character. I love this world. I love having something else outside of Marvel that's amassed a bit of a following, something more in the real world. I honestly feel like we made a better film than the first one. That's rare in the franchise world. We'd be remiss not to have a crack at another one."
"Extraction" director Sam Hargrave is also pretty psyched about doing a threequel. Speaking with the aforementioned magazine, Hargrave went on to say, "There is so much room for this franchise to expand and places where it can go. I'm excited about what the next adventure for Tyler Rake could be. We'll see how this one does. ... And if the world is craving another Tyler Rake adventure, I think it'd be something I'd be interested in seeing put up on screen."
Will there be an Extraction Cinematic Universe?
If the Russo brothers are good at one thing, it's creating expansive universes on the big screen. After ushering in the end of an era for the Marvel Cinematic Universe with "Avengers: Endgame" and showcasing the infinite nature of the multiverse in 2022's "Everything Everywhere All At Once," these boys know how to produce a major cinematic event. This is probably why they have their sights set on turning "Extraction" into something much bigger than a one-hit-wonder action flick.
During a 2020 interview with Collider, Joe and Anthony Russo spoke about their ambitious hopes to transform the series into a multifaceted universe of different interconnected stories, saying, "We're trying to find more interesting ways to tell these stories and cross-pollinate them ... Can we go backwards and forwards at the same time? Can things that happened in the past affect the movies in the present? What are new ways to tell those stories?" He went on to explain the worldwide appeal of these films by adding, "I think what makes that a compelling element to the 'Extraction' universe is it is a global franchise telling global stories, and we'd like to diversify the point of view in those movies."
Where to watch Extraction
"Extraction 2" will barrel its way onto Netflix on June 16, 2023. But before all the action goes down, it might be a good idea to go back and check out the original film. If you've yet to see Tyler Rake do his thing, the original "Extraction" will give you a proper introduction to the unstoppable mercenary, setting up themes, plot threads, and a character arc that will no doubt be continued in the sequel. Or if you have seen the film before, maybe you just want to go back and witness all those incredible fight scenes again. Whatever the reason, you can stream the original "Extraction" on — you guessed it — Netflix.