Unni Mukundan won't be a part of Marco sequel 'Lord Marco', search for new lead begins

Unni Mukundan won't be a part of Marco sequel 'Lord Marco', search for new lead begins

The Malayalam film industry has a new sequel to look forward to, but with a surprising twist. Marco, which stormed into theatres in 2024 with Unni Mukundan in the lead, is now officially getting a second installment. The first film was marketed as “the most violent Malayalam film ever” and lived up to its billing, sparking debate and drawing crowds in equal measure. It created history as the first A-rated Malayalam movie to cross the Rs 100 crore mark globally, cementing its place as a blockbuster.

Cubes Entertainments, the production house behind the film, has now registered the title Lord Marco with the Malayalam Film Chamber, confirming the continuation of the franchise.

Director Haneef Adeni, who helmed the original, will return for the sequel, with Shareef Muhammed producing once again under the Cubes banner. Early reports suggest the new film will be mounted on a bigger canvas than the original, raising expectations among fans and industry watchers.

But here’s where things take a sharp turn: Unni Mukundan will not reprise his role in Lord Marco. The makers have confirmed that another actor will take over the lead, though casting is still under wraps. The absence of Unni has already sparked speculation and disappointment online, considering how central he was to the success of Marco.

The actor himself had earlier addressed the matter. Back in June, when a fan asked him about Marco 2, Unni clarified on social media that he had no intention of returning. “Bro, apologies but I have dropped plans to continue the Marco series. Too much negativity around the project. I’ll try my best to bring something bigger and better than Marco. Thanks for all the love and positivity. Cheers,” he wrote. His statement hinted at his desire to move away from the backlash over the film’s graphic violence, which even caused some viewers to feel sick in theatres.

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As for Unni, he has already shifted focus to new ventures. Just this week, he announced Maa Vande, a biopic tracing the life of Prime Minister Narendra Modi. In his post, he called it “a story that rises beyond battles to become a revolution for the ages.”

Meanwhile, the Lord Marco team has kept fans guessing about the new face of the franchise. With Haneef Adeni steering the ship again, anticipation is high to see how the saga of Marco evolves without the star who first embodied the role. An official casting announcement is expected soon.