The original comedy Neighbors was a rare non-visual effects-filled studio-released summer blockbuster, it ended up being a huge hit when it was released back in 2013. When inexpensive movies make studios huge profits, it usually means that the sequel green light isn’t far off – and the Nicholas Stoller-directed comedy is no different. Now Neighbors 2 is set for release next summer, and it has just been revealed that it has a subtitle which gives us some insight into what the movie will be about: Neighbors 2: Sorority Rising. Really, we should have seen this coming.
Production Weekly posted the full title, which seems to sync up with what we’ve learned so far about the sequel currently in production. Neighbors 2: Sorority Rising will revolve around a sorority house moving in next door to the family played by Seth Rogen and Rose Byrne from the first film. When they have trouble dealing with the sorority, they turn to their previous nemesis, played by Zac Efron, for help. We assume shenanigans ensue at this point.
As was confirmed earlier this week, Chloe Moretz has been cast in a major role in the film, and it’s expected that she will be the primary antagonist sorority sister. The female Zac Efron if you will. Moretz was the highlight of the Kick-Ass movies and we know Hit Girl could get pretty vile, so Moretz should feel right at home with the exceptionally vulgar comedy. In fact, we're more than a little curious to see what this plot will have her up to.
Neighbors R rating was one of the reasons its success was so surprising. During the summer movie season, PG-13 is always the ideal rating in order to allow the majority of moviegoers into the theater, but the Nicholas Stoller movie blazed the trail helped formed by titles like The Hangover and Ted. Ultimately, the movie managed to gross $268 million on an $18 million budget – so, again, it’s little surprise a sequel got the go-ahead. That being said, Neighbors 2: Sorority Rising will need to provide the same sort of laughs, but without being the same laughs, to be successful – which is arguably a much higher bar.
Of course, that may be the only problem facing the movie. One wonders if the plot of the movie feels too obvious. It would probably be very easy for the production to take the original script, run a "find and replace" and swap out fraternity for sorority, and call it a day. One thing that would be nice would be to see a female-centered story that gives Rose Byrne more time to shine. Critics hailed her as one of the highlights of the original, as she really held her own. Maybe it’s time for Rogen to play second fiddle. That could go a long way to making the movie feel fresh.
Whatever ends up happening, we’ll certainly be checking out Neighbors 2: Sorority Rising when it hits next summer. Chloe Moretz has high bar to clear if she wants to out do Zac Efron’s performance in the original, but if anybody can do it, we have a feeling she can.
