The White Storm 2: Drug Lords is a 2019 Hong Kong action film directed by Herman Yau, produced by and starring Andy Lau. The film is a thematic sequel in-title-only to the 2013 film The White Storm with a new storyline and stars returning cast member Louis Koo in a different role.
The film was first announced on 15 March 2018. Production for The White Storm 2: Drug Lords began on 23 June 2018 and wrapped up on 12 September 2018. The film was theatrically released on 5 July 2019 in China, on 12 July 2019 in Taiwan, and on 16 July 2019 in Hong Kong. The film was also selected to be the closing film for 18th New York Asian Film Festival on 14 July 2019. It was selected as the Hong Kong entry for the Best International Feature Film at the 92nd Academy Awards, but it was not nominated.
The White Storm 2: Drug Lords was a major commercial success, grossing a total of US$200 million worldwide against a budget of US$100 million. The film received mixed reviews from critics, who generally praised the performances of Lau and Koo and the film’s action choreography but noted shortcomings in its script and character development.
A thematic sequel to the film, The White Storm 3 began production in June 2021, with Yau returning to direct, Koo returning to star alongside Sean Lau, who makes a return from the first film, and new cast member Aaron Kwok.