Wouldn't it be a pitch-slap to the face if Pitch Perfect 2 were to happen and Rebel Wilson and Anna Kendrick weren't on board? As the cynical Beca and the funny Fat Amy, Kendrick and Wilson were among the central characters of the 2012 a cappella focused musical-comedy, and it's confirmed that both will be back on board for the planned sequel, which received its official 2015 release date just last week.
Deadline says Universal Pictures and Gold Circle have signed deals with Kendrick and Wilson to reprise their roles in the Pitch Perfect sequel, which is set to release May 15, 2015. Too far away, in my opinion, but if the sequel's as funny and musically entertaining as the original, it'll be well worth the wait.
Not only was the film a sleeper hit, but as Deadline points out, it led to Anna Kendrick becoming a triple platinum recording artist for the single "Cups," which was originally featured in the film as Beca's audition song, and eventually made its way onto the radio and a music video that's racked up more than 100 million views on Youtube. Coming up, Kendrick will play Cinderella in the feature adaptation of Into the Woods, while Wilson can be seen on her ABC comedy Super Fun Night.
So, now we know that Kendrick and Wilson will reprise their roles, and we know that Kay Cannon is returning to pen the sequel's script. Elizabeth Banks, who produced the original, will direct this time around. And I'm hoping she'll find time to step in front of the camera to offer more hilarious commentary as the chatty aca-veteran Gail. And we're left to wonder who else from the original cast will return. One of the things that worked out so well with the original film was that the cast was brimming with actors who were not only vocally gifted but also really funny, including Kendrick and Wilson, as well as Adam DeVine, Brittany Snow, Anna Camp and Skylar Astin. I know some of us really want to see Bumper back, as DeVine is hilarious, but in addition to some of the mentioned names, I'd also love to see Ben Platt return, as his character Benji got sort of sidelined for a big chunk of the original movie, getting passed over for a spot on the Treblemakers. He did prove his magically vocal talent in the end though, so it'd be great if they brought him back for a bigger part.
We're also left to wonder what the plot will be this time around. Will college a cappella still be at the center of the story, or will this be more of a reunion situation? And is there any chance that the Bellas and Treblemakers will merge to form one incredibly aca-mazing a cappella group? Watch the final two musical numbers from the original film and try to imagine such a glorious musical mash-up...
