'To All The Boys I've Loved Before' Sequel Trades In First Film's Female Director For New Male Director

‘To All The Boys I’ve Loved Before’ Sequel Trades In First Film’s Female Director For New Male Director

To All The Boys I’ve Loved Beforebecame one of Netflix’s biggest hits last year, shepherded by directorSusan Johnson, who leant a playfulness and a surprising visual panache to the teen romantic comedy based on the novels byJenny Han. But for the highly anticipated sequel, which will adapt Han’s follow-up novelP.S. I Still Love You, theTo All the Boys I’ve Loved Beforesequel director will now be cinematographerMichael Fimognari.The Hollywood Reporterbroke the news that Michael Fimognari, who was the director of photography on the firstTo All the Boys I’ve Loved Before,will take over directing duties from Johnson, who now acts as executive producer. The reason, Johnson said in a statement, was due to prior commitments:

Han added, “I’m so thrilled and thankful we get to keep telling Lara Jean’s story. I just know that the audience will fall in love with her all over again.”

However, the cast will stay the same, with starsLana CondorandNoah Centineoconfirmed to reprise their roles as the adorable accidentally-in-love couple Lara Jean Covey and Peter Kavinsky, along withAnna Cathcart, Janel Parrish,andJohn Corbett.To All the Boys I’ve Loved Beforescreenwriter Sofia Alvarez will also return to pen the sequel.

While hiring Fimognari, who makes his directorial debut with this film, keeps the sequel in the family, this move is unfortunately part of an industry-wide practice of female directors getting the shaft after kickstarting a hit franchise geared towards women. It happened with theTwilightfranchise, which got off to a $393 million start under Catherine Hardwicke, who subsequently got replaced by directors like Chris Weitz and Bill Condon for the following films. It happened again for theFifty Shadesseries, in which Sam Taylor-Johnson helmedFifty Shades of Greyto the tune of $571 million worldwide only to be replaced by James Foley for the next two films. While Johnson seems to be stepping down from the director’s chair due to scheduling issues, it does get this highly anticipated sequel to a beloved teen romance film off to a shaky start.