The sequel to the critically acclaimed thriller,Searching, has now been given a release date. Released in 2018,Searchingfollows a father (John Cho) trying to find his missing 16-year-old daughter and is entirely composed of footage from computer screens, smartphones, and webcams,with the sequel,Missing, expected to follow the same format.Revealed courtesy ofScreen Gems,Missingwill land in theaters on June 08, 2025.
Described as another Screenlife mystery thriller, plot details surroundingMissingare currently being kept under wraps.We do know, however, that the story will not “follow the same characters or plot line as the original,”and will instead “feature a new set of characters and an evolved Screenlife thriller format where the story plays out on the screens of the characters' devices.”
Written and directed by Nick Johnson and Will Merrick, from a story by Sev Ohanian and Aneesh Chaganty,MissingstarsStorm Reid, Nia Long, Joaquim de Almeida, Tim Griffin, Daniel Henney, and Amy Landecker.
The first outing,Searching, starsStar Trek’sJohn Choas distressed father David Kim,who is trying to find his missing 16-year-old daughter, Margot (Michelle La), with the help of a police detective (Debra Messing). David files a police complaint in order to find his daughter; however, a string of hidden truths unravels when he checks her laptop. Set entirely on computer screens and smartphones, the movie uses the likes of video calling and instant messages to tell the story, a method that has now been dubbed “Screenlife.”
Searchingwas met with both financial and critical success, grossing $75 million against a budget of less than $1 million and achieving a rating of 92% on Rotten Tomatoes.
MissingWill Continue the ‘Visual Language’ of Searching
While little is known about whatMissingwill entail, the producers behind the sequel have since released a statement that offers some insight into what audiences can expect from the Screenlife follow-up.
“With such restrictive visual parameters, a movie like [Missing] requires a fresh visual style to separate it from the original,“Searchingdirector andMissingproducer Aneesh Chaganty said in a statement. “I’ve contributed what I can to this growing sub-genre. But if there’s anyone on the planet with the potential to take it even further, it’s Nick and Will, who were there from the beginning.”
“Searching is so far the most successful movie shot in the Screenlife format and the sequel is set to become a new milestone,” producerTimur Bekmambetovadded. “What seemed like an experimental technique a few years ago has been given a momentum now with more and more industry professionals turning to this digital filmmaking technique.”
“On Searching, Will and Nick pioneered a new visual language and pushed the boundaries of what editors could contribute to a film,” producer Natalie Qasabian said. “We are lucky and beyond excited to be working with them in their new roles as writers and directors on the sequel.”
Missingis set to be released in theaters on August 12, 2025, by Sony Pictures Releasing.
