The upcoming sequel to the Oscar-nominated film, 20 years in the making, has an impossible task: matching the original

Summary

• Matching the fast style of
  City of God
  on a TV series it will be a challenge without the original creative team.
• City of God: The Fight Continues
  faces the challenge of expanding the plots and maintaining the visual impact of the film.
• Legacy sequel TV series have struggled in the past, such as
  The Complete Monty
  AND
  Willow
  series, which shows the tough battle for
  City of God: The fight continues.

In an age dominated by traditional sequels, it’s becoming increasingly rare for blockbusters to remain blockbusters. The next film to revisit is the 2002 one City of Godan epic crime film directed by Fernando Meirelles and Kàtia Lund. The film, written by Bràulo Mantovani, is based on the 1997 novel of the same name by Paulo Lins. City of God follows several interconnected stories in the favelas of Rio de Janeiro, with a specific focus on the story of Busca-pé, played by Alexandre Rodrigues. Nicknamed Rocket, the young man witnesses the rise and fall of several criminal gangs and police corruption.

City Of God: The Fight Rages On takes place 20 years after the film. It brings back Alexandre Rodrigues as Rocket/Buscapé, as well as other returning cast members Thiago Martins and Roberta Rodrigues. The debut on Max is scheduled for August 2024, The fight rages on will have the difficult task of living up to the critical acclaim garnered by the original 2002 filmAlthough made on a modest budget of three million dollars, City of God became a cinematic phenomenon, grossing $30 million. It launched Brazil’s new wave of independent cinema and challenged the political landscape of Rio de Janeiro.

City Of God: The Fight Rages On Show Will Be Compared To The 2002 Film

It won’t be easy for a TV series to keep up with the film’s fast pace.

City of God is known for its fast-paced editing style and frenetic storytelling pace that doesn’t lend itself well to TV. The film is a dizzying odyssey through the love and horror that children face in the poverty-stricken conditions of the Cidade de Deus, but that pace will be difficult for the show to maintain over several episodes versus a feature-length runtime. Despite the return of Alexandre Rodrigues, The fight rages on does not share the same creative team as the film.

Fernando Meirelles is credited as an executive producer on the show, but he doesn’t direct any of the few episodes that are out there. Instead, directing duties are handed over to Aly Muritiba, while a group of new writers take on the writing duties. Without the golden touch of Meirelles and Lund, the same defined style of City of God It will be incredibly difficult to replicate and any attempt to reproduce the maniacal style could end up being a poor copy.

The film influenced world cinema with its style and raised awareness of urban violence and poverty, with acclaimed director Robert Altman stating, “I think it’s the best film I’ve ever seen,” according to GamesRaderAs a television program, The fight rages on is at a disadvantage. It will have to expand on the storylines that might dilute the film’s impact and focus, as well as match the stunning visuals outside of the theatrical setting.

Why will it be so difficult to match the success of City of God because the struggle continues

Following the legacy of the original will be a challenge for the new show. The film has continued to see awards success, garnering 55 wins and 29 nominations. These include four Academy Award nominations, including Best Director, and a BAFTA win for Best Editing. The film is ranked 38th on the BBC’s list of the best films of the 21st century and was included as Roger Ebert’s second best film of 2002. The fight rages on will focus on Rocket’s return to the favelas, now as a successful photojournalistbut finding a character after years of absence often disappoints the public.

The recent failures of sequel TV series do not bode well for The fight rages on. The Complete Monty (1997) had a sequel series on Disney+ premiering in 2023. Similar to City of GodThe original film was critically acclaimed, while the sequel series received a 67% on Rotten Tomatoes and was canceled after one season. The 1988 fantasy film Willow also had a Disney+ sequel series, which received a lukewarm reception and was also quickly canceled. For City of God: The Fight Continuesthe battle will be to avoid the same fate as other TV series sequels.

Source: GamesRadar