While we eagerly await the next seasons of Euphoria and White Lotus, HBO has a new series in the works to get excited for. More than two decades after the release of the iconic Brazilian film City of God, the streaming platform will be bringing the multi-award-winning feature will back to life— only this time as a series. Set to be produced by American streaming giant Max (formerly known as HBO Max), the new show will serve as a sequel to the original film, continuing the gripping storyline that won the hearts of so many over the years.
Titled City of God: The Fight Rages On, the six-episode series is set to premiere this August, though an exact release date has not yet been announced. From what has been teased so far, the show, directed by the director of the original film, Fernando Meirelles, will this time take place in the early 2000s and will see a slew of the original cast reprise their roles, including Buscapé (Alexandre Rodrigues), Lampião (Thiago Martins), Berenice (Roberta Rodrigues), Melonhead (Kiko Marques), and Barbantinho (Edson Oliveira).
In the sequel series, audiences will meet photographer and journalist Buscapé once again, only this time older, although it remains unclear as to how exactly he will be reintroduced. It is also expected that this second installment will approach returning characters differently, considering the ongoing conversations around privilege, structural racism, and police brutality over the past twenty years, which played a central role in the original film’s plot.
To provide context for first-time viewers, or remind some of important events, it has also been revealed that many extracts from the original movie will be used to highlight key events and background stories that have defined some of the returning characters’ lives.
Released in 2002, the movie is still considered a classic by most in the silver-screen industry. Though many are excited to see the story and many characters make a comeback, we hope that this new series will live up to the legacy of the original film, bringing fresh perspectives while maintaining the powerful storytelling that made City of God so impactful to begin with.
