Long-awaited Spring Breakers 2 sparks backlash as shock cast is revealed
The original, directed by transgressive filmmaker Harmony Korine, follows four college girls as they rob a diner to fund a trip to Florida for Spring Break.
The R-rated arthouse flick starred James Franco, along with Disney darlings Selena Gomez and Vanessa Hudgens in their first adult roles.
Now, more than a decade later, a sequel has been greenlit with a new cast and director.
News of the latest instalment has received a mixed reception from cinephiles so far, with many stating that a Spring Breakers sequel is unnecessary.
Titled Spring Breakers: Salvation Mountain, the sequel is being helmed by Harmony Korine, best known for the edgy 1999 cult classic Freeway starring a young Reese Witherspoon.
Heading up the cast is former child star Bella Thorne, who got her break on Disney before shedding her squeaky clean image with a series of gritty roles, X-rated fashion choices, and even a stint on OnlyFans.
She is joined by social media star Baby Ariel and Netflix star Grace Van Dien, best known for Greenhouse Academy and Stranger Things.
A lot of fans have reacted negatively to the news so far, with one commenting, 'We don't need this.'
Another commented, 'It's giving straight to dvd,' while a third added, 'We don't need this - this is going to be worse than American Psycho 2.'
A fourth wrote, 'Why? Nobody even remembers this movie. It's not Mean Girls!'
Despite Korine and the original cast not returning for the sequel, the producers of the original feature, Muse Production's Chris Hanley and Jordan Gertner, are back.
'We're thrilled to be working with Christian and Capture on Spring Breakers: Salvation Mountain and excited to keep exploring bold, new, disruptive stories around that wild, fever dream of youth,' they said in a statement.
'The desire for spring break to go on forever is something we've never let go of.'
The original Spring Breakers premiered at film festivals in 2012 before receiving a wide release the following year.
It grossed over $30 million on a $5 million budget, making it a huge financial success.
Despite receiving mixed reviews at the time, the film has gone to achieve cult status and was credited for establishing Gomez as a credible adult actress.
Gomez had the role of Faith, a young women who tries to devote her life to Christianity but at the same time is also friends with the three party girls.
The news comes after Spring Breakers star and former actress Rachel Korine looked nearly unrecognizable during a rare public outing.
The mother of three, 38, who played rebellious Cotty in the film, cut a low-key figure during a stroll in New York City.
Korine sported dyed pink hair and donned revealing bikinis for her turn in the film alongside Gomez, Hudgens, and Ashley Benson.
The actresses portrayed four college-aged girls who go on spring break in St. Petersburg, Florida and meet an eccentric local drug dealer who helps them out when they find themselves in a desperate situation.
Ultimately, they descend into a world of drugs, crime, and violence in a film that was actually written and directed by Korine's husband Harmony, 52.
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