The first trailer has been released for Greenland 2: Migration, the upcoming sequel to Gerard Butler’s 2020 action movie. The original movie tells the story of a hopeful family who race against the clock to reach a nuclear shelter in Greenland after learning that an impending asteroid is going to destroy all life on Earth. Greenland 2 releases in January 2026.

The Greenland 2 trailer has finally revealed some important details about the sequel’s story, confirming that it will take place five years after the asteroid’s impact. When Butler’s protagonist learns of a spot in southern France that may have survived the impact, he takes his family on another perilous journey to restart their lives.

Greenland 2’s Story Is Very Similar To The First Movie’s

While it’s too early to predict all the details of Greenland 2‘s story, the trailer makes it very clear that the structure is going to be very similar to the first movie. Once again, Gerard Butler’s protagonist will be taking his family on a perilous mission across the globe to find shelter from the end of the world.

The trailer confirms this journey won’t be an easy one — as the Earth has begun to acclimate to its destruction, the weather events have become much more extreme. This sets the stage for another action-packed adventure as John and his family try to find safety in a world that seems poised against them.

On the surface, this is exactly the same conflict as the first movie. That’s a disappointing development based on where Greenland‘s ending left the story. There was room to do something different in a post-apocalyptic realm, explore the current state of humanity, and show how the Garrity family was adjusting.

Putting them back on the run risks an overly familiar narrative. The only clear difference seems to be the landscape they’re traveling through, which is now much more barren and desolate as a result of the asteroid collision five years prior. Greenland 2 really needs to lean into these aesthetic differences to keep it feeling fresh.

Greenland 2 Should Lean Into Its Post-Apocalyptic Setting Instead

If Greenland 2 can solidify itself as a post-apocalyptic drama instead of another large-scale disaster movie, the film may be able to create enough distance from the first installment to really thrive. Otherwise, the sequel could easily leave audiences confused about what the point of this adventure was.

The trailer definitely seems like it’s setting audiences up for another big-budget, SFX-heavy action movie with mᴀssive set pieces, much like the first film. This is exciting in its own right, but there needs to be a certain level of development to ensure it’s not just hitting the same story beats over and over again.

After giving audiences so much time to connect with the characters in the first movie, the sequel has the perfect opportunity to capitalize on this by developing the relationships in deep and meaningful ways, in addition to more action-driven sequences. If Greenland 3 is going to happen, Greenland 2: Migration must show there’s more to explore here than an easy, repeтιтive formula.