Wicked to Start Production on 'Fallen' Sequel Upon 10th Anniv.

CANOGA PARK, Calif.—Wicked Pictures begins production this weekend on Fallen II, the highly anticipated sequel to the AVN, XRCO and Empire Award-winning blockbuster released 10 years prior, to the day, of the second chapter's slated street date of September 30, 2018. The project was announced by Brad Armstrong, the veteran contract director and performer who earned Best Director - Feature, Best Actor and Best Art Direction AVN Awards for the original. "Fallen has been our biggest-selling movie for the last decade," Armstrong revealed. "We’ve thought about doing a sequel a number of times over the years, but it just never came to be. Then I realized the ten year anniversary was coming up and I figured if I didn’t do it now I probably never would. It has been tricky figuring out how the Fallen story would continue on. In addition to the usual moviemaking stress, there’s the added pressure of making sure the sequel lives up to the original, which is no easy feat, considering all the critical accolades it received.""Doing a sequel to Fallen for the tenth anniversary of its release is a dream come true," enthused Wicked Girl Jessica Drake, who will reprise the role of "Angel" from the first picture that earned her Best Actress honors from both AVN and the XRCO. "Fallen has always been my favorite movie. I put my heart and soul into the first one, and the second one will be no different. I'm incredibly grateful for the involvement of so many folks from the first movie, it really helps bring everything together." At press time, legendary Hall of Fame actor Herschel Savage and industry superstar Jenna Haze had signed on to reprise their characters from the original in non-sex roles.“Jessica has been with Wicked for 15 years and Brad for over 20,” Wicked Pictures president and owner Steve Orenstein said. "While both were top performers and directors when we signed them, they have grown tremendously and their talents are at a whole other level today. It’s a special situation to have both of them still exclusive to Wicked 10 years after the original Fallen to bring their faces, names and talent to the sequel and continue the story." "The potency and eloquence that made audiences fall in love with Fallen are back in Brad Armstrong's new story," added media liaison Daniel Metcalf. "With a new audience discovering the movie through X-Rated: The Greatest Adult Movies of All Time on Showtime, and the 10th anniversary approaching, there couldn't be a better time to revisit these characters. Jessica Drake is one of the most gifted actresses working today, and we’re thrilled that she is bringing her extraordinary talent and presence to this film.” Fallen earned Armstrong an AVN nomination for Best Screenplay, and his new script reinvents the mythos in new and exciting ways. "The original focus was on Angel and my character, Keith, finding each other and embracing the challenges of an angelic being falling in love with a human," Armstrong said. "This time around it’s a darker tale. The world is a different place and our heroes are caught in the middle, between Heaven and Hell. I don't want to give too much of the plot away but there are some intense situations."Regarding the new story's themes, Drake added, "This time around, the story seems reflective of where I am in my life as well, embracing the dark and the light. I am very thankful for the multiple talents of Brad Armstrong as a writer, creator, director, stylist, actor and someone who really pushes me to be better in every movie I do. And as always, I thank Steve and everyone at Wicked for once again allowing me to follow my passion and chase my dreams. It's my perfect heaven to be Angel again." Joining the cast of Fallen II are Misty Stone, Leigh Raven, Jenevieve Hexx, Isiah Maxwell, Tommy Pistol, August Taylor, Seth Gamble, Luna Star, Michael Vegas, Casey Calvert, Derrick Pierce, Ryan Driller, Eric Masterson, Tyler Nixon, Nat Turnher, Brad Bartrum and more. Shooting begins on locations in and around Los Angeles June 23, 2018, and will continue through July 1.  To learn more, visit Wicked.com.