Nicholas Stoller’s Neighbors was a surprise hit at the 2014's box office, making Universal some much needed money in its early summer run. So naturally, on the heels of their year of good fortune, they've decided that to keep the streak alive they're going to need a sequel. Enter Neighbors 2: Sorority Rising, a sequel poised to strike its individual but similarly crafted bolt of lightning in the 2016 summer market. As we all know, to make a successful comedy sequel, you need a good measure of the old as well as a healthy dose of the new. Bringing back Carla Gallo's Paula from the original film is a wise move into that first column.
The Wrap has broken the story that Gallo's mutual friend to Rose Byrne and Seth Rogen's Mac and Kelly is on board for the sequel set to be released next May. Also apparently along for the ride is Ike Barenholtz's Jimmy, who we last saw tagging along with Paula to the Burning Man festival. No details have been provided on how their characters are returning, as the film's story is still, in true Hollywood fashion, "under wraps."
Carla Gallo has made a name for herself with various TV appearances, as well as roles in hit comedies such as Get Him To The Greek and Funny People, but her role in Neighbors is the first film role that she's been asked to reprise. While this could be chalked up to her frequent collaboration in the overlapping circles of talent that Judd Apatow and Nicholas Stoller both pull from, it's also a good sign that her character made enough of an impression on fans to be brought back. In case you're having trouble placing her previous work, here's Gallo's big scene from Superbad, in which she puts Jonah Hill in a rather awkward scenario.
More importantly, this could be our first clue as to what direction Neighbors 2: Sorority Rising will go. With Gallo's Paula and Rose Byrne's Kelly in the mix, there could be a chance that much as Seth Rogen's Mac took center stage in Neighbors with his battle against Zac Efron's Teddy, Gallo and Byrne might face off against Chloe Grace Moretz's as of yet unnamed antagonist. This also potentially also means that while Rogen and Efron are going to be a part of the story, they may be present in more supporting comedic roles within the film's framework. In a market that's still dominated by male led comedies, Neighbors 2: Sorority Rising could be another blow against that stereotype.
Neighbors 2: Sorority Rising parties into theaters on May 20, 2016.
