Another Simple Favor chooses to once again focus on the relationship between Stephanie and Emily, but there were several other stories that the movie could have told instead. Even though it was surprising, I was excited when a sequel to 2018’s A Simple Favor was announced since it was a very effective comedy/thriller film, which saw Anna Kendrick and Blake Lively in the lead roles. However, despite my initial excitement, reviews for Another Simple Favor have been quite mixed, with Screen Rant’s own Mae Abdulbaki giving it a score of 6 out of 10.

Another Simple Favor includes many twists and surprising deaths, but in my opinion, it ultimately fails to recapture the charm of the original movie. Despite having a less intriguing mystery, it’s hard to deny that watching Kendrick and Lively share the screen together again is very entertaining. By the end of Another Simple Favor, I was somewhat disappointed, but I still believe this was the best possible sequel we could have gotten. After all, there were a lot of other stories Another Simple Favor could have told that didn’t feature Lively’s Emily.

Another Simple Favor Teases 4 Other Crimes Stephanie Solved After A Simple Favor

Stephanie Is A Talented Private Detective

After the events of A Simple Favor, which saw Stephanie uncover Emily’s lies and send her to prison, Kendrick’s character becomes a private detective and even has her own show. However, at the beginning of Another Simple Favor, it is established that Stephanie has stopped filming her show after a swim coach accused of being a pedophile sH๏τ himself in front of her. This is the main crime from Stephanie’s show that Another Simple Favor focuses on, but several others are also mentioned in the sequel.

In addition to the swim coach, Emily also commends Stephanie for solving cases involving an ice cream truck driver, a man laundering money, and a “meditation mommy” who locked her nanny in her basement. It should be noted that Emily gets interrupted when talking about the ice cream truck driver and the man laundering money, so it’s possible this is the same case. However, for the sake of this article, let’s ᴀssume that they are separate cases that Stephanie investigated for her show. Therefore, there are four other stories that the plot of Another Simple Favor could have focused on.

Stephanie’s Other Crimes Could Have Been The Plots Of A Simple Favor Sequels

Another Simple Favor Could Have Primarily Focused On Stephanie

Based on the details revealed about Stephanie’s life in between the events of the first film and Another Simple Favor, it is clear that she found success as a private detective before Emily returned. Before reuniting with Emily, a sequel could have instead explored Stephanie more as a character and seen her solving any of the aforementioned crimes. Not much is revealed about the ice cream truck driver or the money launderer, but the mom who locked her nanny in the basement definitely would have been a good villain for a movie.

Since Another Simple Favor spends the most time on the swim coach, he also could have been the main focal point of a sequel movie. While this case definitely had a lasting impact on Stephanie, not enough time is dedicated to it in Another Simple Favor. While the swim coach is finally found innocent by the end of the sequel, this is definitely the most underdeveloped plotline of Another Simple Favor. Therefore, dedicating a sequel movie just to this case, or one of the other cases mentioned, would have been an interesting direction to take.

Another Simple Favor Had To Skip Stephanie’s Other Crime-Solving Adventures To Retain A Key Element

Bringing Blake Lively Back As Emily Was Smart

Since it is constantly mentioned what a skilled private detective Stephanie is in Another Simple Favor, it would have been interesting to see a movie wholly dedicated to her solving another case. However, a movie focused on one of these cases obviously would have been missing Emily, who is brilliantly played by Lively. While Stephanie was solving these cases and hosting her own show, Emily was still in prison, which would have made it very hard for her to play a prominent role in the film.

Another Simple Favor once again showcases how strong the chemistry between Kendrick and Lively is, so it undoubtedly would have been a mistake to leave the latter out of the sequel. Not bringing back Lively in a prominent role would have made Another Simple Favor feel far too different from the first movie. Therefore, even though several of Stephanie’s cases sound intriguing, focusing the sequel on her relationship with Emily was the best decision.

Stephanie’s Crime-Solving Stories Tease How A Simple Favor 3 Can Happen

Another Simple Favor Teases A Third Movie

While a sequel to A Simple Favor was somewhat surprising, it now seems like director Paul Feig is interested in making more movies in this series. Even though Stephanie stepped away from solving crimes after watching the swim coach shoot himself, the story of Another Simple Favor forces her to be a private detective once again and proves how skilled she is. Therefore, perhaps Stephanie could bring her show back and solve a brand-new crime in A Simple Favor 3, which is teased during the ending of the sequel.

However, instead of focusing on Stephanie, it’s also possible that the third movie will follow Emily, who will seemingly start working for the Italian mob after the events of Another Simple Favor. During their meeting in Rome at the end of Another Simple Favor, Portia asks Emily for a favor, so it’s possible that A Simple Favor 3 will once again be set in Europe. Since they are now on good terms, Emily may ask Stephanie to help her with another case in the third movie.

After the ending of the sequel, it also wouldn’t be as surprising if a third movie just focused on either Stephanie or Emily. However, since Kendrick and Lively have such great chemistry, it would be amazing if they both returned in prominent roles in the third film. A third film in the series is not a guarantee, but after the events of Another Simple Favor, it is clear that there are a lot of exciting directions that Feig and the writers could head in.