The Boondock Saints II: All Saints Day
 

Trailer just got released to IGN and YouTube yesterday:

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=if2-PYxgL50

It's crazy that it took them a full 10 years to make a sequel to this movie. Hopefully, it'll be fun and retain the aesthetic which made its predecessor successful...without taking itself too seriously.

I remember the director Troy Duffy on DVD commentary saying the first film got released when all the school shootings happened. So it didn't get much of release and moviegoers were not in a gun movie mood. Waiting 10 years is better than no sequel at all.

That's mostly just an excuse by Duffy. If you ever watch the documentary "Overnight", it sheds light on many of the real reasons why the first film never got a big theatrical release. A lot of it was due to Duffy's own reputation in the biz. If school shootings were the reason that "The Boondock Saints" bombed, then "The Matrix" should have bombed, too, because it came out at the exact same time as Columbine. Keanu Reeves even sports a trench coat and sunglasses on the movie's theatrical poster, just like the Columbine killers did in real life, yet nobody seemed to mind.

I guess 10 years is better than no sequel, but the problem is that those 10 years haven't been too kind to Sean Patrick Flannery or Billy Connelly (both of them have aged a LOT). Norman Reedus still looks pretty young and fit for 40, but I also thought he was the weaker actor of the two brothers. As for the new blood in the cast, Clifton Collins and Julie Benz are talented, but I doubt they're going to be able to substitute for David Della Rocco and Willem Dafoe (whom their characters replace).

I'll probably see this movie, because I watched and enjoyed the first film dozens of times in spite of its (obvious) artistic and moral shortcomings. But my expectations are low that Duffy's magic tricks are going to be effective twice.

While I know you're not comparing The Matrix to the The Boondock Saints. But The Matrix had a $63 million budget and was released in 2,800 theaters. The Boondocks $7 million budget only 5 screens. That info is from box office mojo on IMDB. Which film is going to do better?

I don't think I ever saw a trailer for Boondocks, but I remember seeing a shitload for Matrix. The studio put no effort behind the film. I guess because like you said Duffy's reputation in the movie biz. Which he had none. But I guess since it has done so well on DVDs. A sequel was in order.

I don't think this sequel will be as good without Wilim Defoe

I'm a firm believer in the law of diminishing returns, but I'll see it anyways.

Nah, none of that (the bold highlighted stuff) is what I meant. It's really best if you watch "Overnight" to understand, but here is what you need to know in case you never watch the documentary:

-Duffy's script for "The Boondock Saints" was originally purchased by Harvey Weinstein, and the film was supposed to be funded by Miramax. Duffy would have had a $12 million budget.

-Miramax wound up putting the film into turnaround, because Duffy and Weinstein had a falling out over casting decisions for the film. After that, Weinstein effectively blacklisted Duffy in the industry.

-Duffy himself seems to blame Weinstein for almost all of the disagreements and his own subsequent misfortune, but as "Overnight" shows, it's easy to see why he and Weinstein got on bad terms. Duffy basically became a narcissistic, egomaniacal asshole who figured he could act stupid ("Overnight" shows footage of him bragging that he showed up to meetings with investors hung over) and that there would be no consequences. His boorish behavior, combined with his big mouth, were what got him in trouble.

-Duffy eventually did get "The Boondock Saints" made, but it was with producer Chris Brinker's Franchise Pictures, a lesser-known studio. His budget was much smaller ($5 million), and he didn't have the clout to cast big-name actors that he wanted.

-"Boondock Saints" was taken to Cannes, and no purchasing offers were made. That is why it got no theatrical release or promotion. The reasons for this are disputed, but most people agree that it had a lot to do with Weinstein blacklisting him. Or maybe it was just that Duffy's reputation for his dealings with Miramax had preceded him. Either way, he fucked up the deal of a lifetime.

And that's the story in a nutshell. My point being, Duffy could have had a wide release for his film if he had just been a little more humble. It wasn't Columbine that screwed him; it was his own stupidity.

Overnight is available for streaming on Netflix. So I'll check it out. I don't remember Duffy talking about Weinstein at the start of commentary. He may have, it's been awhile since I watched it with the commentary. Thanks for the info. Duffy would probably have 2 or 3 more films under his belt, if he hadn't done the things he did.

Duffy has, to the best of my knowledge, never commented on "Overnight" at all, let alone addressed his issues with Weinstein. I'm guessing he'd rather his fans don't know the full story.

One of the funniest quotes in "Overnight" is a scene where he brags, "Harvey Weinstein is afraid of me." Then later he's on the phone with Weinstein, ass-kissing him to the Nth degree, begging to return to his good graces. It's so pathetic that it's funny.

In Overnight it said Duffy would have cast and final cut approval. I think the biggest mistake Duffy made was keeping William Morris law firm. They also represented Weinstein. Who are they going to care about more Weinstein or Duffy? I'm wondering who was taking the offers at Canne. I mean Weinstien may run Miramax. But Miramax is no Warner Bros. or Paramount. There is bound to be other people in the movie biz that hate Weinstein. It's all about competition.


I heard the "Harvey Weinstein is afraid of me." but I didn't see or hear the phone call. Could've missed it.

Also The Matrix was released March 31st, Columbine happened April 20th. It had box office time.

Duffy said in the commentary they had their first preview screening 2 weeks after Columbine. He did say The Matrix and The Basketball Diaries were being played all the time in the news after it happened. I'm in no way trying to stick up for Duffy. He did somethings he shouldn't have done and he's paid it.