(From left) Kathryn Bernardo and Alden Richards. Picture: Courtesy of Star Cinema
Preproduction work for the interval film “Elena 1944,” the place Kathryn Bernardo is anticipated to play a consolation lady throughout Japanese occupation, is taking longer than anticipated, that’s why the actress was supplied to do a sequel of her hit film with Alden Richards, “Howdy, Love, Goodbye” (HLG), as a substitute.
The sequel, titled “Howdy, Love, Once more” (HLA), won’t be submitted as an entry to the Metro Manila Movie Competition in December, however as a substitute will likely be proven on Nov. 13. To be directed by Cathy Garcia-Sampana, the movie is credited as the primary collaboration between ABS-CBN Movies and GMA Footage.
These had been reported by Star Cinema head Kriz Gazmen, who additionally mentioned that GMA Community’s Annette Gozon-Valdez (SVP for programming, expertise administration worldwide and help) has lengthy been requesting that they work on HLG’s sequel collectively. Alden Richards, Kathryn’s main man, is likely one of the high skills of the Kapuso community.
When Inquirer Leisure requested Kriz to elucidate the sudden selection of playdate for HLA, he mentioned he was additionally shocked that lots of people had been asking the identical query. “Individuals had been certain that this might be proven in the course of the MMFF, however we’re very assured with HLA. We really feel that this film can stand by itself throughout an everyday screening. We additionally wished to show that there’s a marketplace for movies outdoors the MMFF, that individuals—whatever the playdate—if they’re actually within the materials, will make time to see it within the cinemas,” Kriz mentioned in the course of the mission announcement on Sunday held on the ABS-CBN Compound, the place even GMA Community executives had been current.
Extra accessible
“Second, an enormous chunk of the gross of HLG was from its worldwide launch. It did nicely by way of the abroad market. We additionally observed that in relation to habits, solely Filipinos have made it a practice to look at films in the course of the Christmas season, whereas folks in different nations go on trip as a substitute,” Kriz started.
“We wished to place HLA at a playdate that we really feel the film will likely be made extra accessible to its target market. Greater than the home viewers, we additionally wish to attain out to Filipinos overseas. Based mostly on our analysis, the OFWs are very busy throughout December—they both head residence or go on trip with their households. This additionally factored within the resolution,” he mentioned.
One other issue, mentioned Kriz, was the necessity for extra time to organize for the film “Elena.” He defined: “Proper now, we’re already growing it, however it takes a lot preproduction work. I don’t assume we’ve ever accomplished a film of this scale, so we wish to give it our greatest.
“Once we laid out the entire calendar, that’s once we realized the period of time it requires to do ‘Elena.’ We didn’t wish to waste Kathryn’s time simply ready for us. The concept of doing a sequel to HLG, after it grew to become the highest-grossing film of all time, has at all times been there, anyway. The story is open-ended, too, so why not do a comply with up?”
‘Acquainted however completely different’
We then requested him to recall Kathryn’s response when the thought of HLA was first pitched to her. Kriz mentioned: “To start with, we noticed the glow in her eyes, then she began asking plenty of questions. She thought that if she and Alden would make one other film, is a sequel nonetheless a good suggestion or is it higher to make a brand new film as a substitute? I assume the thought of working once more with Alden appealed to her as a result of she had a extremely enjoyable expertise when she did HLG.”
Kriz believes that coproducing HLA with GMA Footage is “a very good break-in” for his or her relationship. “Annette was telling the reality when she mentioned that now we have been speaking even earlier than doing ‘Unbreak My Coronary heart’ with them, and even earlier than ‘It’s Showtime’ began airing on GMA 7,” he mentioned.
“We had concepts that we threw backwards and forwards, however nothing got here to fruition. By means of all of it, Annette would at all times recommend the sequel for HLG. Once we lastly determined we’re going to do it, Carlo (Katigbak, ABS-CBN president and CEO) talked to Annette,” mentioned Kriz.
He added that, since HLG is a property of Star Cinema, they are going to be accountable for the entire manufacturing course of. “In fact, we’re going to hunt their inputs in relation to the fabric,” he identified. “In relation to the inventive and manufacturing half, we’ve received them coated. What we actually want is for GMA to assist us amplify the phrase on HLA and produce extra folks to the cinemas. That’s an necessary a part of the equation.”
Writers Carmi Raymundo and Crystal Hazel San Miguel head the inventive group. “The sequel is simply how Alden described it. It’s acquainted however completely different. There was plenty of adjustments within the 5 years since HLG was launched, since Kathryn’s character Pleasure flew to Canada to work there. A whole lot of issues occurred to the world throughout that interval, too. We’ve skilled a pandemic and the world has shut down. HLG was about these two characters and the world round them,” Carmi defined.
‘About Filipinos overseas’
Crystal added: “The world has modified a lot, so, for certain, our characters have skilled private adjustments of their relationship, as nicely. The most important query right here is whether or not or not their love for one another stays unchanged.”
Your subscription couldn’t be saved. Please attempt once more.
Your subscription has been profitable.
Director Cathy reported to have just lately flown to Canada and Hong Kong for ocular inspection and to conduct interviews with OFWs there. “We’re grateful to all of the Pinoys in Canada who helped us. In fact, there will likely be no HLG with out the assistance of OFWs in Hong Kong,” she identified. “We’ll merely switch location, however that is nonetheless about Filipinos working overseas. We simply discovered that the journey of OFWs in Hong Kong and the life classes they’ve discovered, are very a lot completely different from the tales of these residing in Canada. This excites me extra as a result of I do know we can supply one thing new.”
