Michelle Monaghan Thrilled *Family Plan 2* Isn't Just Wahlberg's Show

Michelle Monaghan is making waves once again, this time in a budding new franchise. While many fans know her from the high-octane *Mission: Impossible* series, she's now starring in the action-comedy *Family Plan*, which just dropped its sequel. The original film quickly became a holiday favorite, cementing its place as a popular Christmas movie.

Speaking about her experience on the new film, Monaghan shared her thoughts on working alongside Mark Wahlberg. She explained that the movie gives every character a chance to shine, rather than just focusing on its big-name star. In one memorable scene, Monaghan's character, Jessica, even outpaces Wahlberg during a foot chase, highlighting the film's balanced approach.

A True Ensemble Effort

The actress emphasized that every member of the on-screen family plays an active role in the story.

What’s really special is that the family all has to depend on each other, and they all lean on their respective strengths to help them beat the odds. That’s something that we can all relate to in terms of family dynamics. Obviously, it’s heightened because of the nature of the film.

Monaghan described how each character contributes. The tech-savvy son, Kyle, is played by Van Crosby, while his sister Nina, portrayed by Zoe Colletti, is passionate about changing the world. As for the father, Dan, played by Wahlberg, Monaghan affectionately called him the "workhorse in the family."

A Movie for the Whole Family

The sequel, which was filmed in London, premiered on November 21, 2025. After the first movie was met with an enthusiastic response, the follow-up arrived on AppleTV just two years later. The story centers on the Morgan family, and Monaghan was particularly pleased with the plot because it was something she could finally share with her own children.

I’ve done a wide range of work in my career, but I can count on one hand the number of projects that my kids can actually watch. So The Family Plan allowed me to sit them down and say, ‘Hey, Mom made this. We can all watch it together. You don’t have to wait three or four more years before I say it’s okay.’

In her personal life, Monaghan is married to Peter White, and they have two children together: a daughter, Willow Katherine, born in 2008, and a son, Tommy Francis, born in 2013.

Wahlberg's Streaming Dominance

Mark Wahlberg has successfully transitioned from a box office powerhouse to a dominant force in the streaming world. This year alone, his Prime Video film *Play Dirty*, co-starring LaKeith Stanfield and Rosa Salazar, climbed to the number one spot across all streaming platforms. Since 2020, Wahlberg has appeared in seven movies for four different streaming services.

His success continues with *The Family Plan*, which became AppleTV's most-watched movie ever. His 2024 Netflix film, *The Union*, also performed strongly. The critical and audience reception for these projects has been mixed. For instance, *The Family Plan* holds a 29% critic score on Rotten Tomatoes but a 60% audience score, while its sequel sits at 35% and 36%, respectively. *Play Dirty* earned scores of 43% and 42%, and *The Union* received 35% from critics and 24% from audiences.

The newly released sequel, *The Family Plan 2*, is now available to stream on AppleTV.