Let’s be honest – we all saw this coming.

Despite Tyler Rake’s apparent death at the end of Extraction (2020), the Russo Brothers have brought him back to life. Just like any decent action hero, Tyler doesn’t succumb to the days of fighting, bullet wounds, and drowning that he faces at the end of the first film.

With a brand new first-look, we’ve been itching to dig our claws into the series once again.

So, who’s next on Tyler Rake’s hitlist? Who’s working on the project? What kind of action can we expect to see? Let’s take an early dive into Extraction 2, and explore the answers.

What Does The Teaser and First Look Tell Us?

The first teaser for Extraction 2 hit YouTube back in September 2021.

Well, it certainly doesn’t beat around the bush, does it? In a nutshell, Rake is back – just like the ending of the first movie suggested.

While this is obviously lazy writing, I’ve got to tip it to Joe Russo for not wasting time on a convoluted, overwritten revival story, although fans hoping for a prequel twist are probably going to be disappointed.

The Russos, however, know exactly how to orchestrate a big-name action franchise, and you can bet that they’re pushing the team to give us incredible action set pieces once again.

Now, let’s take a look at the sequel’s new sneak-peek:

Even through half-shut eyes, you can tell that the sequel is set somewhere drastically different. A far-cry from the sepiatone-yellowscape that was Bangladesh, this film is being shot primarily in Prague, Czech Republic – over 7,000 kilometers away.

While there could be any number of reasons for this drastic location change, I think it’s a welcome one.

The original was criticized for contributing to the endless stream of ‘white-savior’ cinema, where white male characters sweep into third world countries, navigate through a sea of filth and poverty, and rescue helpless locals from other, more vicious locals.

With a solid backstory already set in place, a cast of potentially interesting characters and the novelty of a new, less-problematic setting, the Russos have set a strong foundation for a deep dive into the world of badass ex-military mercenary work.

Meanwhile, Hemsworth seems to be perched on the side of a large military vehicle of some sort – possibly an armored personnel carrier. These multi-ton behemoths are generally used to transport troops into zones of combat.

Judging from the fact that there’s another rig behind him, we can assume that Tyler isn’t alone on this mission, and the scale of conflict is even higher than before.

European drug kingpins? Private militias? We won’t know until the trailer drops, but the possibilities are exciting!

What’s Going On Behind The Scenes?

One of the absolute best things about Extraction 2 is the return of Sam Hargraves – the Russo’s right hand man when it comes to stunt work. With a reputation for pushing the bar across Marvel favorites such as Deadpool 2, Endgame and Civil War, along with his amazing work in Atomic Blonde – he’s the man you want for a high-stakes action flick. Period.

Curiously, the film was supposed to be shot in Australia, before COVID concerns convinced the team to rework their plans.

Speaking to Collider back in January, Hargraves confirmed this information. Fortunately, the shooting dates lined up with his ideal expectations, give or take a couple months.

One of the biggest draws of Hargraves is the way his mind works behind a camera. If you’re missing the point, take a look at his amazing one-take masterpiece from the first movie:

Slick, intelligent, with a dynamic tempo and a personality all of its own – that’s what action film direction is all about, and Hargraves absolutely nailed it in his debut film. If you like John Wick, you’ll absolutely love his work.

“Truthfully, I always walk around my house or walk around town looking for ways to do something fun or different with action,” he shared.

“I kind of think as if there’s a camera behind my eyes all the time like, ‘What would be an interesting way to capture this?’, ‘Oh, that’d be cool.”

Despite his stellar resume, Hargraves remains humble. “Even since Extraction, a lot of movies have come out and been pushing the envelope and we gotta push back,” he admits.

“We gotta keep elevating the level of action.”

What’s Joe Russo’s Grand Plan?

Joe Russo probably isn’t too worried about Hargraves’ challenges. After all, sitting on a multi-billion dollar franchise and the sheer writing effort that went into it… you could say that it changes the way a filmmaker’s mind works.

“Well I think what was compelling about our approach to this one — and has been informed by our time spent working on Marvel films and traveling the world — is hopefully gaining a deeper understanding of international markets and telling stories that explore them in the films [and] that are less ‘U.S.A.’ in the story,” he shared with Collider.

“There’s critical aspects of [Extraction] that you would want to carry over as part of the main tenets of a franchise. And location is a big part of that.”

While the plot is still under wraps, we’re pretty sure that Russo has big plans for Extraction, and is aiming to push for an interconnected universe of films, just like the MCU.

Well, perhaps a tad bloodier.

(Image Sources: Netflix, @chrishemsworth, @samhargraves, Comic Con International)