The Mutilator, alternatively known as Fall Break, was originally released in 1984 to middling critical and commercial returns. Despite the mediocre reception, however, some have fondly looked back at the film as a strange time capsule of the 1980s, with praise being given towards the film’s unique kills and outstanding practical effects. A newfound appreciation for “trashy” horror films furthered The Mutilator’s reach with modern audiences, and whether plans for a sequel were already in motion by the time The Mutilator reached cult status, director Buddy Cooper has returned with The Mutilator 2.

MOVIEWEB VIDEO OF THE DAY

Featuring a pair of cast members returning from the first film, a revisit of familiar locations, and updating the setting to reflect the modern day, The Mutilator 2 is an unexpected, but not completely surprising return to the world of cheesy horror. It’s been more than thirty years since Buddy Cooper’s directorial debut: can The Mutilator 2 recapture what made The Mutilator work originally?

This is everything we know about The Mutilator 2.

The Mutilator 2: The Plot

The film’s trailer initially dropped via Fangoria, and while no official plot synopsis is available as of writing, we can be certain of one thing: The Mutilator 2 will be meta. People can be seen wearing name tags with The Mutilator 2 logos plastered along the margins, someone crudely dressed as Terrifier’s Art the Clown makes a brief cameo, and footage from The Mutilator is seen playing on more than one television. It’s not an uncommon practice: Wes Craven’s New Nightmare took a similar approach in making the actual actors from the Nightmare on Elm Street series into characters affected by a real-life Freddy Krueger. The Mutilator 2 will likely feature a copycat killer that mimics the antics of the original killer from The Mutilator.

There was a deliberate effort to keep the film’s kills out of the trailer, instead focusing on the film’s characters and setup. As explained by a new vlogger-type character, the beachfront property utilized for the first Mutilator film is now being used for a special horror festival, one that’s meant to celebrate slashers of all types, including The Mutilator 2. A murder on the property prompts police officials to investigate. A repeat of the first film’s mystery ensues, as anyone could be considered a potential suspect, including the guy dressed as Art.

We’re treated to visual references from the first film, including a close-up of a gnarly-looking fishhook, and some dark humor between relaxing shots of the coastline and tense police interrogations. The closest thing we get to a kill is the concluding shot before the title card: the killer swings a medieval-style ax into the camera before we quickly cut to a woman tied to the pier, with bulging barnacles scratching at her arms. By the time the tide rises in the morning, she’ll likely drown.

The Mutilator 2: The Cast & Crew

     OK Productions

Two cast members from the first Mutilator film will return for The Mutilator 2: Ruth Martinez and Bill Hitchcock, who played the characters of Pam and Ralph, respectively. It’s a bummer if more of the original cast couldn’t return, but it’s understandable due to the leviathan time gap between the two films. They will be playing themselves instead of their respective characters, in keeping with the meta aspect of The Mutilator 2.

The rest of the cast has some familiar faces if you’re a horror aficionado. Damian Maffei, who played the hulking Man in the Mask in The Strangers: Prey at Night and Deer Skull in the Wrong Turn reboot, is set to appear in The Mutilator 2, alongside Chaney Morrow (Wrong Turn), Cody Cameron (The Neon Demon), and Eva Hamilton (Ruin Me).

Terry Kiser will also star in The Mutilator 2, having played Dr. Crew in Friday the 13th Part VII and the titular corpse of Bernie from Weekend at Bernie’s. While the latter is more of a comedy instead of a horror film, the premise is at the very least morbid.

Buddy Cooper, who directed the first Mutilator film, will return to direct the sequel. The fact is humorously highlighted in The Mutilator 2’s tagline: “Another Buddy Cooper Movie.”

Release Date

The Mutilator 2 is currently slated to release in 2023, though no specific date is provided.

Everything Else We Know

Filming for The Mutilator 2 originally began in 2022 after being announced through Mad Monster in late 2021. Mad Monster also highlighted the enthusiasm of Damian Maffei, who shared his overwhelming excitement to be working with both Cooper and Terry Kiser.

With Maffei’s genuine interest and passion for The Mutilator, we can expect a terrific performance out of him. Hopefully, that enthusiasm infects the rest of the cast.

“I had 4 copies of The Mutilator (including a heavily edited family friendly version!) and a promotional standee as a kid, so to be joining this sequel, working with Bud Cooper, some of the original returning cast, and jumping back in to raise some hell with Terry… it’s surreal. I am beyond excited.”

Alexander Taylor will compose the score for The Mutilator 2, with some of his recent work being included in Scream, Queen! My Nightmare on Elm Street and Hunter’s Moon.