We have a new trailer for Undercover Brother 2, which is probably an assortment of words nobody expected to find themselves reading today. Indeed, Universal Pictures has pulled something of a fast one on all of us by putting together this direct-to-video sequel to its 2001 predecessor rather quietly. Though, it seems to be a sequel mostly in name only, as we’ve got an entirely new cast, with Michael Jai White as our new titular hero.
The trailer is admittedly brief, clocking in at just 30 seconds, which is normally what we can expect from a TV spot. But this appears to be a very small budget, low-key affair. Though, for those familiar with the 2002 movie, many of the same elements are at play here. We’ve got the organization known as The Brotherhood, who are tasked with trying to take down The Man. It’s all coated in 70s sheen and layers of cheese. The big hook here is that we’re going to be introduced to the brother of Undercover Brother. Black Dynamite fans might get a kick out of seeing White do something like this.
The full cast includes Michael Jai White (Spawn, The Dark Knight), Gary Owen (Ride Along, Daddy Day Care), Affion Crockett (The Wedding Ringer, A Haunted House 2), Laila Odom (Phantom Halo, Game Shakers), Steven Lee Johnson (Chicago Fire, No Resolution), Barry Bostwick (The Rocky Horror Picture Show, Spy Hard) and Vince Swann (In Contempt, A Stone Cold Christmas). Leslie Small is in the director’s chair for this one. Small has helmed other features such as Hair Show and Tara, in addition to comedy specials for the likes of Kevin Hart, Katt Williams and Gary Owen, amongst others.
Undercover Brother 2 centers on the coolest spy in the game his less-than-cool younger brother, Lionel. Way back in 2002, the brothers were hot on the heels of The Man, the leader of a racist, worldwide syndicate known as The Organization. However, they got caught in an avalanche of oppressive, white snow, preventing them from finishing the mission. Sixteen years later, they are discovered, thawed out, and set out to finish the job they started. With the help of The Brotherhood, an old foe, they must take on an even more dangerous threat to the black community and the world; extreme “wokeness.”
The original Undercover Brother, directed by Malcolm D. Lee (Girls Trip, The Best Man), was a very modest success, bringing in $41 million at the box office. Fronted by Eddie Griffin as the titular character with a cast that included Chris Kattan, Denise Richards, Dave Chappelle, Billy Dee Williams and Neil Patrick Harris, the send-up of the blacksploitation movies of the 70s managed to find something of a cult following in the years that followed. Ultimately, enough of one to warrant a sequel all these years later. Undercover Brother 2 arrives on DVD and Digital HD on November 5 from Universal Pictures Home entertainment. Be sure to check out the trailer for yourself.
