Mike Fleming

EXCLUSIVE:Robert Rodriguez is teaming with producer Alexander Rodnyansky to hatch a sequel to the 2010 action film Machete. Titled Machete Kills, the film is the second in a planned trilogy with what, for my money, is the best ever trailer tag line: “This time, they fucked with the wrong Mexican!” The film will be produced and financed by Alexander Rodnyansky, whose Hollywood expansion plans include a $120 million film fund with Media Talent Group’s Geyer Kosinski. AR Films U.S. is a new partnership between AR Films and Aldamisa Entertainment, whose Sergei Bespalov will manage worldwide sales of Machete Kills in Berlin.

“The fan response to the Machete character has been fanatical since his first appearance,” Rodriguez said. “Machete is truly a super hero and Machete Kills will be bigger and more ambitious than the first time.”

An April production start is being eyed. Talks are underway for Danny Trejo to reprise the title role. Rodriguez expects many of the original cast to return, at least those who didn’t end up sliced and diced in the first film by Trejo. The film is a Quick Draw Production, produced by Rodriguez, Rodnyansky, and Quick Draw’s Aaron Kaufman and Iliana Nikolic, and Sergei Bespalov and Rick Schwartz. A script has been written by Kyle Ward, and developed by Rodriguez and Marcel Rodriguez. The aim is to get Trejo back into a signature role that began with a parody movie trailer that was featured between features in Grindhouse, the B-movie feature homage made by Rodriguez and Quentin Tarantino in 2007. Machete, the feature, came out in 2009, and starred Trejo, Jessica Alba, Michelle Rodriguez, Jeff Fahey and Robert De Niro. It grossed $44 million worldwide on a $10.5 million budget and showed, among other things, that a bad guy’s intestines can be employed as a rope ladder if you work it just right.

The new film finds Machete recruited by the U.S. Government for a mission which would be impossible for any mortal man. Machete must battle his way through Mexico to take down a madman cartel leader and an eccentric billionaire arms dealer who has hatched a plan to spread war across the planet with a weapon in space. Machete takes on an army in an effort to dismantle a plan for global anarchy.

“Alexander has a tremendous background in moviemaking and huge enthusiasm for continuing the Machete legend onscreen,” Rodriguez said. “I’m really looking forward to working with Alexander and Sergei Bespalov.” Here is a reminder of some of the mayhem Rodriguez and Trejo brought to the screen last time around: