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Sing 2

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Wikipedia article




'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) and second film in the franchise, it was again written and directed by Garth Jennings and co-directed by Christophe Lourdelet. 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, Bono, Halsey, Pharrell Williams, Chelsea Peretti, Letitia Wright, Eric Andr, and Adam Buxton. Like the previous film, 'Sing 2' 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.

'Sing 2' made its world premiere at the AFI Fest on November 14, 2021, and was theatrically released in the United States on December 22, 2021, by Universal Pictures, and in the United Kingdom on January 28, 2022. The film has grossed over $408 million worldwide against a production budget of $85 million, becoming the highest-grossing animated film of 2021 and the tenth highest-grossing film of 2021 and received positive reception from critics.

Plot



Sometime after the events of the first film, Buster Moon is thriving with his new theater, with Johnny, Meena, Rosita and Gunter working as his both cast and crew while Ash performs as a soloist. They fail to impress talent scout Suki, who tells Buster he would not make it in nearby Redshore City, the entertainment capital of the world. Buster, encouraged by Nana Noodleman, reunites his crew and head off to the city to make an impression.

They are denied entry, but manage to sneak in for an audition with entertainment owner Jimmy Crystal. As Jimmy is uninterested in Buster's original show pitch, Gunter suggests a space-themed sci-fi musical that features songs from Clay Calloway, a legendary rock star who has not been seen in 15 years. Intrigued, and assuming Clay will be a part of the show, 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 Buster begrudgingly gives to Jimmy's daughter, Porsha, on his insistence while Rosita is relegated to a minor role. Meanwhile, Johnny has been assigned to work with top choreographer Klaus Kickenklober but senses that Klaus dislikes him due to his inability to dance. Johnny later 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 theater, Buster asks Porsha if she would like to switch roles with Rosita, as Porsha's acting skills are poor. A distraught Porsha misinterprets this as Buster firing her and runs off. Upon learning this, Jimmy scolds a crying Porsha and threatens Buster by nearly dropping him off his penthouse roof before locking him in a closet. Suki later frees Buster and warns him to leave Redshore City before Jimmy can kill him. Ash arrives with the crew and Clay, 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 that night behind Jimmy's back after he witnesses Jimmy insulting him and his friends on live TV. Porsha rejoins the show, while Johnny calls his dad and his gang to come over and help keep Jimmy and his guard henchmen 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 the other dancers, finally earning Klaus' respect. Porsha performs a high energy song and dance number, standing up to her infuriated father. Meena visualizes Darius as Alfonso, and successfully performs a romantic duet with him. In a last attempt to stop the show, Jimmy drops Buster off of a high catwalk, which forces Rosita to overcome her fear of heights to save Buster. When the time comes for Clay to take the stage, he claims that he is not ready yet. Ash leads the crowd in a rendition of one of Clay's songs, giving him the courage to perform. After a curtain call, Jimmy attempts to steal credit for the show but is arrested by the police for attempting to kill Buster.

Just as Buster and his friends prepare to return home the following morning, Suki stops them and tells them that a major theater wants to put on their show. As the cast puts on their first official performance, Buster watches from the VIP section.

Voice cast



* Matthew McConaughey as Buster Moon, a koala who owns the New Moon Theater

* 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 does both

* Scarlett Johansson as Ash, a porcupine punk rock guitarist

* Bobby Cannavale as Jimmy Crystal, a wolf and media owner who runs Crystal Entertainment

* Taron Egerton as Johnny, a teenage gorilla who left his father's ex-criminal gang to become a singer and pianist

* 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 seemingly spoiled daughter of Jimmy who has an excellent singing voice

* Chelsea Peretti as Suki Lane, Jimmy'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 Andr 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 strict dance instructor

** 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 assistant

** Jennings also voices the bus terminal and the airbag from a rental car

* Peter Serafinowicz as Big Daddy, a mobster gorilla and Johnny's father who is now on work release

* Jennifer Saunders as Nana Noodleman, a sheep and a famous singer

* 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 Jimmy's assistant

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, Louise 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



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 Andr, Chelsea Peretti, longtime Illumination collaborator Pharrell Williams, Bono and Halsey were added to the voice cast. Work on the film shifted due to the COVID-19 pandemic, and was done remotely following the temporary closure of Illumination Mac Guff (now renamed as Illumination Studios Paris).

The scope of the theatre in the finale was a major stepping stone to take over 10,000 animals for the crowd department, old and new ones designed by longtime Illumination artist Eric Guillon who not only worked on 'Sing' but have designed the new characters in the sequel like choreographer Klaus and the tarsiers. Fashion brand Rodarte designed some of the costumes used in the film.

Music



In December 2020, Joby Talbot returned to compose the score. U2 performed the film's original song "Your Song Saved My Life". The song was released on November 3, 2021. Additional music includes songs by Kiana Led, Sam i, Billie Eilish, Elton John and more. The film's soundtrack was released on December 17, 2021.

Release



Theatrical and home media

'Sing 2' had its world premiere, opening the AFI Fest Celebration on November 14, 2021, and was theatrically released in the United States on December 22, 2021, in RealD 3D, due to the COVID-19 pandemic, after previously being scheduled to be released in the United States on December 25, 2020, and July 2, 2021. Early access screenings occurred in the United States on November 27, 2021. The film was premiered in the Middle East on December 9, 2021, and was released theatrically in the United Kingdom on January 28, 2022, and was also released in the Philippines on February 23, 2022. The film was released to video on January 7, 2022, on platforms such as Amazon Prime Video, Apple TV, Vudu, Xfinity, and YouTube. It was released on Blu-ray, DVD, and Ultra HD Blu-ray on March 29, 2022, by Universal Pictures Home Entertainment.

Marketing

Tomy made a deal with Illumination and Universal to develop the 'Sing 2' toy line, featuring plush toys, collectible figures, and a role-playing game. Roblox released an 'Adopt Me!' live event in partnership with Illumination to promote this film. The film also has many promotional partners including Xfinity, McDonald's, and Mercari. By its opening weekend in the United States and Canada, the film had made 393.1 million impressions across all social media platforms, a statistic 24% above those of a film released before the COVID-19 pandemic. Overall, the film had a better social media reach than 2021's 'Encanto', 'The Addams Family 2', 'Tom & Jerry', 'Spirit Untamed', and 'The Croods: A New Age'.

Reception



Box office

'Sing 2' has grossed $162.8million in the United States and Canada, and $245.2million in other territories, for a worldwide total of $408 million.

In the United States and Canada, the film earned $1.6 million from sneak previews held on November 27, 2021. The film had its wide release the following month on Wednesday, December 22, alongside 'The King's Man' and 'The Matrix Resurrections', and was projected to gross $4050 million from 3,892 theaters over its first five days of release. The film ended up grossing $22.3 million in its opening weekend (and a total of $41 million over the five-day frame) from an estimated 4.1 million theater admissions, placing second at the box office behind 'Spider-Man: No Way Home'. Women made up 58% of the audience during its opening, with those below the age of 25 comprising 56% of ticket sales and those below 17 comprising 44%. The ethnic breakdown of the audience showed that 39% were Hispanic and Latino Americans, 35% European Americans, 15% African American, and 7% Asian or other. In its second weekend, the film remained in second place with $20.2 million. 'Sing 2' once again retained second place at the box office in its third weekend with $11.6 million. On January 8, 2022, 'Sing 2' became the first animated film of the COVID-19 pandemic to cross $100 million at the U.S. and Canadian box office as well as the first film since 'Frozen II' (2019) to reach this milestone. It remained atop the box office top ten until its fifteenth weekend.

Outside the United States and Canada, 'Sing 2' opened in several international markets on December 3, 2021. The film made $1.12 million in its first weekend, $1.5 million in its second, and another $1.5 million from 16 markets in its third. After screening in an additional 22 markets, 'Sing 2' earned $19.2 million in its fourth weekend and had the biggest opening for an animated film during the COVID-19 pandemic in both France ($6 million) and Mexico ($3.6 million). The film made $17.2 million in its fifth weekend, which included a $1.2 million opening in Ukraine, $17.1 million in its sixth weekend, and $8.4 million in its seventh weekend. In its eighth weekend, the film had strong openings in Germany ($3 million), Poland ($2.4 million), and Austria ($500,000). In its ninth weekend, the film earned $17.4 million from 62 markets, which included a $9.3 million opening in the U.K. In its tenth weekend, the film earned $14 million from 63 markets, which included a $1.1 million debut in the country of Denmark where pandemic restrictions had recently been lifted. The film crossed the $300 million mark worldwide in its eleventh weekend after adding $11 million to its total, which included a $2.2 million debut in the Netherlands. The film's gross remained consistent in its twelfth weekend with $10.3 million that included a 1% drop in the U.K. 'Sing 2' crossed the $200 million mark outside the U.S. and Canada in its thirteenth weekend. By March 6, the film had surpassed the original film's gross in the U.K. with $40.5 million. In its fifteenth weekend, the film added $3 million to its total gross and the 'Sing' franchise as a whole passed the $1 billion mark. The film made $6.1 million in its sixteenth weekend, which included a $4.3 million opening in Japan. It added $3.6 million in its seventeenth weekend. The film crossed the $400 million mark worldwide with the addition of $1.9 million in its nineteenth weekend. It is the first film since 'Frozen II', the first animated film during the pandemic, and the ninth Illumination title to reach the milestone. It made $1.2 million the following weekend.

Critical response

Audiences polled by CinemaScore gave the film a rare average grade of "A+" on an A+ to F scale (the first Illumination film to receive this grade), while PostTrak reported 91% of audience members gave it a positive score, with 78% saying they would definitely recommend it.

Justin Lowe, writing for 'The Hollywood Reporter', praised the musical set of the film, calling the "ragtag cast that Buster had brought for an amateur cast, had blossomed into a full-fledged company of professional performers". Peter Debruge, of 'Variety', gave a positive review, saying the film is "an elaborate machinery of joy, and it's easier to appreciate how every choice seems designed to put a smile on people's faces". Emily Clark of Plugged In praised the film's inspiring and emotional elements, but took issue with the fact that "(Meena) 'tells' Buster shes not OK kissing someone on stage, and he sort of dismisses her...The whole affair made me a bit queasy thinking about how many a young starlet has received her first smooch from a total stranger at the behest of adult directors and producers." However Mark Kermode gave the film a negative review, unlike his previous positive review with the first film.

Accolades



Notes



References




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