In 2018, Searching became a Rotten Tomatoes Certified Fresh hit when it debuted the thrilling story of a father trying to make the best of technology to find his missing 16-year-old daughter. Now kicking off the slate of 2023 movies, comes the film’s sequel, Missing.
While the new movie features a brand new cast and instead follows a teenage daughter as she tries to locate her mother who went missing during a vacation to South America, Missing directors Will Merrick and Nick Johnson look to captivate viewers with suspenseful plot twists and an unexpected series of events that show what an individual will do to find a loved one.
Here’s everything we know about Missing.
Missing release date
Missing premieres in theaters in the US on Friday, January 20.
Would-be viewers in the UK will have to wait a little longer to see the film in cinemas as it doesn’t premiere in the country until Friday, February 24.
Missing plot
Here is the official synopsis of Missing:
"From the minds behind Searching comes Missing, a thrilling roller-coaster mystery that makes you wonder how well you know those closest to you. 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."
Missing cast
Leading the Missing cast is young actress Storm Reid. She gained a lot of notoriety when she starred as Meg in A Wrinkle in Time in 2018. Since then, she’s been featured in The Suicide Squad as Tyla and Euphoria as Gia.
Joining Storm for the ride is veteran actress Nia Long. Long’s career took off when she played Brandi in the classic Boyz in the Hood. With a career spanning over a few decades, she’s been seen in projects ranging from The Fresh Prince of Bel-Air to Big Momma’s House, and recently reprised her role as Jordan for The Best Man: The Final Chapters.
The rest of the main cast is as follows:
- Joaquim de Almeida (Queen of the South)
- Ken Leung (Industry)
- Amy Landecker (Your Honor)
- Daniel Henney (Criminal Minds)
Missing trailer
At first glance, the trailer looks like the film should be on the must-watch list for anyone who loves suspense and is a fan of the Taken movie franchise.
Missing directors
Co-directing Missing are Will Merrick and Nick Johnson. The project serves as Merrick and Johnson’s first time directing a full-length film. However, both were previously editors of the Searching movie.
Missing reviews
So far, it looks like many critics are impressed with the film as it has an 84% on Rotten Tomatoes.
Mark Kennedy of the Associated Press states:
"Merrick and Johnson have so many twists and turns and reverses up their sleeve that you may feel you, too, may have something to do with the disappearance of June’s mother (Nia Long, always a pleasure.)"
Benjamin Lee of The Guardian says:
"... it’s entertaining enough to show that this particular series does have more battery life."
How long is Missing
Missing has a runtime of just under two hours at one hour and 51 minutes.
What is Missing rated?
Missing has a rating of PG-13 in the US, while it has been rated a 15 in the UK.
