Sing 2 is a 2021 American computer-animated jukebox musical comedy film produced by Illumination, and distributed by Universal Pictures. The sequel to Sing (2016), it was again written and directed by Garth Jennings. The film stars an ensemble cast consisting of Matthew McConaughey, Reese Witherspoon, Scarlett Johansson, Taron Egerton, Tori Kelly, Nick Kroll, Jennings, Peter Serafinowicz, Jennifer Saunders, and Nick Offerman, reprising their roles from the first film. The sequel also features new characters voiced by Bobby Cannavale, Spike Jonze, Pharrell Williams, Halsey, Chelsea Peretti, Letitia Wright, Eric André, Adam Buxton, and Bono. Like the previous film, the film features songs from many artists, most of which are performed diegetically. The story is set after the events of the previous film, where Buster Moon and his group put on a show in Redshore City while working to impress an entertainment mogul and enlist a reclusive rock star to perform.
The film had its world premiere at the AFI Fest on November 14, 2021, and was theatrically released in the United States on December 22, 2021, and in the United Kingdom on January 28, 2022, by Universal Pictures.
Plot[]
Sometime after the events of the first film, Buster Moon is thriving with his new theatre. However, he fails to impress talent scout Suki, who tells him he would not make it in Redshore City. Buster, encouraged by Nana Noodleman, reunites the singers who competed in the first film, except for Mike, and takes them to the city.
They sneak in for an audition with entertainment mogul Jimmy Crystal. As Jimmy is uninterested in Buster's original show pitch, Gunter suggests a space-themed musical that includes songs from Clay Calloway, a legendary rock star who has not been seen in 15 years. Intrigued, Jimmy greenlights it, telling them to have the show up and running within three weeks.
During production, Rosita develops a fear of heights during rehearsal and is unable to keep on her role, which Moon begrudgingly gives to Jimmy's daughter Porsha on his insistence while Rosita is delegated to a minor role. Meanwhile, Johnny has been assigned to work with top choreographer Klaus Kickenklober for his part in the show but senses that Klaus dislikes him due to his inability to dance. Johnny comes across a street dancer named Nooshy, who agrees to help him out. Meena has been cast in a romantic scene with Darius, a self-absorbed actor. Having never been in love before, Meena is unable to get the feelings across during their scene. She later meets and falls in love with an ice cream vendor named Alfonso.
Ash and Buster visit Clay Calloway to convince him to be in the show. He refuses at first, but Ash changes his mind. Back at the theatre, Buster asks Porsha if she would like to switch roles with Rosita as she cannot act. Porsha misinterprets this as Buster firing her, breaks down, and runs away. Upon learning this, Jimmy threatens Buster by nearly throwing him off his building before locking him in a closet. Suki later frees Buster and warns him to get out of Redshore City before Jimmy can kill him. Ash arrives with the crew and Calloway, who advises Buster not to run and hide as he did after his wife Ruby died. Buster then decides to have the cast and crew put on the show one night behind Jimmy's back and has Miss Crawly get Porsha to rejoin them in the show, while Johnny calls his dad and his gang to come over and keep Jimmy and his goons at bay.
During the show, a jealous Klaus takes the place of Johnny's performance partner to try to undermine his number, but Johnny defeats Klaus with encouragement from Nooshy and finally earns Klaus' respect. Porsha performs a high energy song and dance number, earning the adoration of the crowd in spite of her father's attempts to stop the show, infuriating him. Meena visualizes Darius as Alfonso and performs a romantic duet with him. Jimmy tries one last time to stop the show by throwing Buster off the top of the stage, which causes Rosita to overcome her fear of heights to save Buster. When the time comes for Calloway to take the stage, he claims that he is not ready. Ash leads the crowd in a rendition of one of Calloway's songs, giving him the courage to perform.
After the show, Jimmy is arrested by the police. Just as Buster and his friends prepare to leave the following morning, Suki stops them and tells them that a major theatre wants to put on their show. As the cast puts on their first performance, Buster watches from the VIP section, proud to have succeeded in Redshore City.
Cast[]
- Matthew McConaughey as Buster Moon, an optimistic koala who owns the New Moon Theatre.
- Reese Witherspoon as Rosita, a pig who gave up her music dreams to become a devoted housewife and mother of 25 piglets, but who now swiftly balances between the two.
- Scarlett Johansson as Ash, a teenage porcupine punk rock guitarist.
- Taron Egerton as Johnny, a teenage gorilla who left his father's criminal gang to become a singer and pianist.
- Bobby Cannavale as Jimmy Crystal, a wolf and media mogul who runs Crystal Entertainment.
- Tori Kelly as Meena, a teenage elephant with an exquisite singing voice, who previously overcame severe stage fright.
- Nick Kroll as Gunter, a passionate dancing pig and Rosita's dance partner.
- Pharrell Williams as Alfonso, an elephant and ice cream vendor who becomes Meena's love interest.
- Halsey as Porsha Crystal, a wolf and the spoiled but talented teenage daughter of Jimmy Crystal.
- Chelsea Peretti as Suki Lane, Jimmy Crystal's haughty dog assistant and talent scout.
- Letitia Wright as Nooshy, a lynx street dancer who helps Johnny regain his confidence while he learns his choreography.
- Eric Andre as Darius, an egocentric yak who is cast in the stage production opposite Meena in a romantic duet.
- Adam Buxton as Klaus Kickenklober, a proboscis monkey and dance instructor who teaches Johnny how to dance. Buxton previously voiced Stan, a gorilla and member of Big Daddy's gang in the first film.
- Garth Jennings as Miss Crawly, an elderly iguana with a glass eye who works as Buster's administrative assistant.
- Jennings also voices the bus terminal and the airbag from the rent car Crawly took to find Calloway.
- Peter Serafinowicz as Big Daddy, a mobster gorilla and Johnny's father on work release who came to Redshore City to support Johnny and his friends ever since the events of the first film.
- Jennifer Saunders as Nana Noodleman, a sheep and a famous singer who tells Buster to follow his dreams.
- Nick Offerman as Norman, a pig and Rosita's workaholic husband.
- Bono as Clay Calloway, a white-maned aged lion who was once a rock star legend until his wife, Ruby, died.
- Julia Davis as Linda Le Bon, a horse and host of a talk show that interviews Jimmy about Buster's show.
- Spike Jonze as Jerry (uncredited), a cat who is the loyal personal assistant of Jimmy Crystal.
Asher Blinkoff, Julianna Gamiz, Asa Jennings, Caspar Jennings, Remy Edgerly, Leo Jennings, Oscar Jennings, Ayden Soria, Adeline Krupinski and Jack Stanton voice Rosita and Norman's piglets, while Matthew McConaughey's daughter Vida Alves McConaughey voices a piglet that goes splashing in chocolate. Garth's wife, Liesie Jennings, voices a dog worker making Meena's costume for the show. Garth's friend, George Griffis, voices a dog worker at the lobby trying to get the stick back from Nooshy. One of the assistant editors, Thomas Walters, voices Barry, one of Big Daddy's gorilla friends who spotted Crystal entering the theatre during the final act.
As with the first film, Wes Anderson, Chris Renaud, and Edgar Wright all have cameos in the film, with Anderson as a tarsier night cleaner, Renaud as Linda Le Bon's show announcer, and Wright voicing a dog cop and a pig chauffeur. Scott Mosier, director of The Grinch, voices Mason, a walrus worker on making the sets for the show. Joy Poirel, Additional Production Supervisor of Sing, voices the GPS in the rental car.
Production[]
Development[]
On January 25, 2017, Universal Pictures and Illumination announced a sequel to its 2016 animated film Sing was in development. Writer/director Garth Jennings and producers Chris Meledandri and Janet Healy return along with voiceover stars Matthew McConaughey, Reese Witherspoon, Scarlett Johansson, Taron Egerton, Nick Kroll, and Tori Kelly.
In December 2020, Bobby Cannavale, Letitia Wright, Eric Andre, Chelsea Peretti, Pharrell Williams, Bono and Halsey were added to the voice cast.
Animation[]
Work on the film shifted due to the COVID-19 pandemic, and was done remotely following the temporary closure of Illumination Mac Guff.
Release[]
Sing 2 was scheduled be theatrically released in the United States on December 22, 2021, due to the COVID-19 pandemic, with Minions: The Rise of Gru taking its July 2022 date. The film was previously scheduled to be released in the United States on December 25, 2020 and July 2, 2021.