Summary

  • The Code 8: Part II trailer is here. The sequel continues the unique superhero tale with Stephen and Robbie Amell returning as the lead characters.
  • The sequel also features the return of director Jeff Chan and writer Chris Pare.
  • Netflix also unveiled the official poster for Code 8: Part II alongside the trailer as part of Geeked Week 2023.

The trailer for the Code 8 sequel Code 8: Part II has arrived. The original 2019 movie was a reversal of a classic superhero story, telling the tale of a man with powers who is drawn into a criminal underworld in a desperate attempt to get money to help his ailing mother. Stephen Amell starred as the lead character, the electrokinetic Connor Reed, while his cousin Robbie Amell played telekinetic criminal crewmember Garrett Kelton. The sequel will reteam director Jeff Chan, writer Chris Pare, and both Amells.

As part of Geeked Week 2023, Netflix has unveiled the official trailer for Code 8: Part II. Check it out below:

"A lot's changed since you've been gone," says the opening line of the trailer, which teases the epic scope of the sequel that was made possible by fans of the original movie. The next scene showcases returning star Robbie Amell back in character as Garrett facing off against an angry Connor in an intimate and dangerous moment.

The Time May Be Ripe for Code 8: Part II

Robots with Guns in Code 8 Part II

When the original movie debuted, it had a warm reception but failed to become a massive hit. Its small theatrical release turned out a negligible result before it hit streaming. Although the Code 8 ending teased a possible spinoff or sequel, it took quite some time for its follow-up to arrive, most likely because of said middling reception. The first movie landed in the Netflix Top 10 when it arrived on the streaming platform in April 2020, but it didn't make as much of a splash as other early quarantine-era streaming titles such as Tiger King and The Circle.

However, the superhero landscape has changed in the meantime, especially for the star of the Code 8 cast. In 2019, Stephen Amell was still the lead actor on Arrow, the CW show based on the DC Comics character Green Arrow, so audiences may have already had their fill of seeing Amell as a superhero. However, three years have ed since Arrow ended in 2020. Because of that, and the fact that the Arrowverse franchise it spawned has dwindled to one show that's ending in 2024, interest in the star returning to a superhero role may have increased significantly.

Stephen Amell played Oliver Queen (Green Arrow) on 169 episodes of Arrow.

Code 8: Part II also comes out amid a major shift in superhero storytelling. While the Marvel Cinematic Universe was at its financial peak in 2019 with Avengers: Endgame, recent titles have experienced diminishing returns both critically and commercially, as have DC Comics movies as that rival franchise prepares to move in a new direction. The shakier superhero landscape of 2023 could provide the perfect opportunity for the Code 8 sequel to hit big. If this trailer excites audiences, the movie's first week on Netflix could possibly outdo more or less the entire run of the original movie.

Source: Netflix