A sequel typically has strong connections to the movie it follows, but MISSING is a little bit different. This screen-centric thriller is a spiritual sequel to the excellent under-the-radar movie SEARCHING. In that movie, a father tried to find his missing daughter in a story that was told almost exclusively through the screens of phones and computers.
MISSING takes a similar approach, with storytelling taking place almost entirely on screens. In fact, it comes from some of the same filmmakers. But the cast and story are entirely new. Check out the trailer for MISSING, which showcases the film's style, and the central performance from Storm Reid.
Watch the Missing Trailer
You can see from that MISSING trailer that the movie isn't telling a story with just text messages and emails, which might be what "screen-centric thriller" suggests at first. There are video calls, surveillance footage, TV reports, and all sorts of other media.
Just in case any of the details weren't clear, here's the synopsis: When her mother (Nia Long) disappears while on vacation in Colombia with her new boyfriend, June's (Storm Reid) search for answers is hindered by international red tape. Stuck thousands of miles away in Los Angeles, June creatively uses all the latest technology at her fingertips to try and find her before it's too late. But as she digs deeper, her digital sleuthing raises more questions than answers... and when June unravels secrets about her mom, she discovers that she never really knew her at all.
Following Up On Searching
While the characters and story of SEARCHING don't play into MISSING directly, this movie does come from some of the same team. Sev Ohanian and Aneesh Chaganty, the writers and producer (Ohanian) and director (Chaganty) of SEARCHING came up with the story for this movie.
MISSING was then scripted by Nick Johnson and Will Merrick, and the duo also directed. They previously worked as the editors on SEARCHING, so if anyone understands how to pull together a movie like this, it's them.
Storm Reid Owns This Thriller
When a film's technique is radically different from the norm, the movie puts unusual demands on its actors. Storm Reid has led movies, such as the still-underrated A WRINKLE IN TIME, and played significant roles in films such as DON'T LET GO and the fantastic 2020 version of THE INVISIBLE MAN. In MISSING, she's in the spotlight in a different way as the film's structure means she often doesn't have another person to play against — her character June is often on her own. That's a challenge she's clearly able to embrace.
In addition to Reid, MISSING features Ken Leung, Nia Long, Joaquim de Almeida, and Daniel Henney. Who took June's missing mom? Is she really missing at all? We're eager to see how June uncovers the truth.
MISSING opens on January 20.
All images courtesy of Screen Gems and Sony Pictures.