Champ movie sequel wraps filming

PORT HENRY | Now that the Champ-centered film, "Lucy and the Lake Monsters" has enjoyed over a year of its release, which by all accounts has been successful, fans will be excited to hear that filmmakers Richard Rossi and Kelly Tabor have wasted no time in getting production underway for a sequel. "The Secrets of Lake Champlain," the second installment of the Lucy series, has wrapped filming in the area and is officially in the editing phase. This would comfortably put the movie's expected premiere in 2026. "There is already such an interest in the film, people are telling us they are always checking imdb.com for new pictures," said Rossi. "We are so excited to be able to continue to tell Lucy's story." "Lucy and the Lake Monster" was originally a book, then adapted for the big screen. This time around, "The Secrets of Lake Champlain," Rossi and Tabor wrote the screenplay first, and will follow up with a novelization adapted from the script. "Richard and I had spoken from the beginning about it being a series," Tabor revealed. "It will eventually be a trilogy." According to Rossi, that trilogy will continue to follow Lucy through the different stages of her life. In the third installment, she will be married with a child of her own (her connection to Champ will remain intact). "She will be dealing with issues of an adult woman," Rossi said. "We are showing that life journey." In the upcoming sequel, Lucy (played by Anastasia Liodori), will now be a young maiden of 16 as opposed to the eight year-old child in the first movie. Audiences can expect to see the protagonist dealing with issues that are heavier than its predecessor. Not to say that eight-year-old Lucy didn't face her own share of obstacles- she was tormented by bullying, had abandonment issues and anxiety, and was adopted by her grandfather due to her mother's instability. In "The Secrets of Lake Champlain," Rossi and Tabor are now exploring addiction, alcoholism, and mental health. "This film opts for going into that territory where we are going to show some of the things that families go through," Rossi explained. "Art can be very healing and cathartic; there are so many families that have been through these three things." The directors assure that in spite of the raw subject material, the new movie is still at heart a feel-good family film. So much so, in fact, that family will be a central plot point. "We read accounts from the 1600s with Samuel de Champlain and Native Americans talking about a sea serpent," Rossi said. "Lucy speculates about how Champ could be around so long, and figures there must be a replicating species, a family." It will be a theme of family for all main characters, and perhaps even for the beloved sea serpent… As Lucy is having that revelation, things also heat up with her grandfather and her former teacher. Both Rossi and Tabor will also be reprising their onscreen roles in addition to directing, and fans may recall feeling some undeniable on-screen chemistry between the characters of Papa (Rossi) and Ms. Marino (Tabor). Westchester-based actress Anastasia Liodori stepped into the role of Lucy this summer for her first major film role, and in addition to her acting capabilities brought to set her talents as a singer/songwriter and guitar player, much to Rossi's delight. An avid musician in his personal life, Rossy incorporated his passion for the guitar into both films and made it one of Papa's signature traits. Rossi and Liodori were able to jam together on set and on camera. "It was a real gift to find her," Rossi said. "The Secrets of Lake Champlain" will also feature original compositions by Rossi, including the romantic song "There's A Rainbow Over Lake Champlain" (inspired by a plethora of actual rainbows during the film's production), and "The Ballad of Princess Bulwagga Bay." For Liodori, the experience in her first feature film role was more than a job- it will be remembered for the joy and laughter that each day on set with the cast and crew brought. She tried her first Michigan hot dog, set eyes on the massive body of water known as Lake Champlain for the first time ever, and did cartwheels along the Champlain Bridge, and mornings were spent over coffee at Burleigh's with her film family. "I loved getting to play Lucy because I wanted to find what makes her tick, and I am so grateful that Richard and Kelly made it such a safe environment to explore character and choices with my acting," Liodori expressed. "Richard emphasized freedom with the script by living in the moment of the scene and seeing where it takes us. That made filming very fun for me since I love improv." This time around, the two directors revisited many of the original filming locations, including a handful of Port Henry sites, Bulwagga Bay, Westport, Burleigh's Luncheonette in Ticonderoga, and also the Stone House Motel on Ti's main street. "We recruited the owners, Joe and Leslie, to be in the film," Tabor said. "Joe played a doctor in a mental health unit and Leslie was the nurse Judy Lewis." Filming locally wrapped by the first week of August, with a few more key scenes still remaining to be captured. Rossi and Tabor are currently immersed in the editing process, studying frame by frame and scene by scene. There is roughly 15 hours of footage to craft a 90-minute movie, so the two friends have their work cut out for them. But it is happy work, and for Rossi and Tabor, some of the most meaningful time they will ever spend. "Kelly served 32 years as a public school teacher, and I became a father and a grandfather, and we want to leave a legacy that is safe for the family to watch," said Rossi, who grew up near a theater that showed G-rated classics like "Mary Poppins," "Chitty Chitty Bang Bang," and "The Love Bug. "Although wholesome movies disappeared for decades, we believe entertainment can again be a force for good to nurture the next generation. For us, it's not just about making movies, it's about making a difference — one story at a time." Please visit lucyandthelakemonster.com and Facebook for updates on the sequel and its progress. "Lucy and the Lake Monster" is now streaming on Prime.

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Champ movie sequel wraps filming

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