Watch Order
0 / 2 watchedTwo films in release order, one complete arc.
About Best Exotic Marigold Hotel
The Best Exotic Marigold Hotel from 2011 follows seven British retirees, played by Judi Dench, Maggie Smith, Bill Nighy and others, settling into a shabby Jaipur hotel run by Sonny. Director John Madden tracks Evelyn's job hunt, Douglas and Jean's marriage strain, and Muriel's slow thaw.
The Second Best Exotic Marigold Hotel from 2015 returns the cast as Sonny plans an annex and chases an American franchise deal. Evelyn and Douglas face a final choice about staying in India. No third film was developed, so the 2015 wedding finale stands as the close.
Good to know
Watch the 2011 film before the 2015 sequel, since Sonny's engagement and Mrs Ainslie's fate carry over directly. The sequel reuses the same Jaipur locations with a larger cast including Richard Gere. Deborah Moggach's novel These Foolish Things inspired only the first setup. Treat the two as a closed pair with no further hotel plans announced.
