The Second Best Exotic Marigold Hotel: Richard Gere gets himself admitted at the home for the elderly in India

The Second Best Exotic Marigold Hotel, the sequel to the surprise 2012 box office hit British comedy drama movie The Best Exotic Marigold Hotel directed by John Madden from Ol Parker's screenplay based on Deborah Moggach's 2004 novel These Foolish Things, will be released on February 27 in the UK and on March 6 in the USA.

The original film introduced a group of British pensioners living in The Best Exotic Marigold Hotel, a retirement home in India owned by Sonny Kapoor. In the sequel, the hotel's balance will be seen disrupted by the arrival of a new American resident named Guy. "Lordy, lord have mercy on my ovaries," declares one of the female residents on Guy's entrance.

Most of the original cast returns with lead stars Judi Dench as Evelyn Greenslade, Bill Nighy as Douglas Ainslie, Penelope Wilton as Jean Ainslie, Maggie Smith as Muriel Donnelly, Celia Imrie as Madge Hardcastle, Ronald Pickup as Norman Cousins, Diana Hardcastle as Carol, Tena Desae as Sunaina, Lillete Dubey as Mrs. Kapoor, and of course, Dev Patel as Sonny Kapoor. Richard Gere joins the group of pensioners and retirees as the American Guy Chambers. Tamsin Greig plays Lavinia, another potential new tenant.

In the sequel, Sonny is keen on developing a promising property into another retirement home, his The Second Best Exotic Marigold Hotel, now that his first venture, "The Best Exotic Marigold Hotel for the Elderly and Beautiful," has only one remaining vacancy left - posing a rooming predicament for fresh new arrivals Guy and Lavinia. However, he finds his time often divided as he has to make way too for his imminent marriage to the love of his life, call-center operator Sunaina. Meanwhile, Evelyn and Douglas who've joined the Jaipur workforce still haven't made their relationship official, which makes it all the more awkward when ex-wife Jean makes a dramatic return to visit them and their fellow residents. Norman and Carol are also negotiating the tricky waters of an exclusive relationship, as Madge tries to juggle her time between two eligible and very wealthy suitors.

The Second Best Exotic Marigold Hotel has been selected for Britain's annual Royal Film Performance, organized by the charity organization Cinema and Television Benevolent Fund (CTBF), with members of the British royal family, cast and filmmakers in attendance at the royal premier on February 17, according to The Hollywood Reporter.