Good Burger 2 is officially happening, with Kenan Thompson and Kel Mitchell reuniting for a project that originated back during their time together on All That. But a lot has changed since then, and People for the Ethical Treatment of Animals (PETA) is one of the organizations hoping that the upcoming movie will acknowledge that in a key way, like many other real-life fast food chains already have. PETA is wanting to go vegan, and it's calling out both actors to help.
The animal rights group that has long made headlines by putting popular things on the spot to ensure the ethical treatment of animals, and the group is now requesting that Good Burger 2 feature the fictional restaurant chain as an all-vegan establishment. In a public letter addressed to both Kenan Thompson and Kel Mitchell, PETA asked for the fictional burger chain to offer an abundance of animal-free offerings:
'Welcome to Good Burger, home of the vegan burger—can I take your order?' That’s what we at PETA have in mind for Good Burger 2. Some things (like beef patties) are better left in the ’90s, and if Good Burger has any hope of surviving new competition in 2023, its menu will abundantly feature animal-free offerings, including meat-free burgers, dairy-free shakes and, of course, a special secret vegan sauce.
You can't forget the secret sauce! The letter went on to include the various ways that cattle are tortured ahead of slaughter and how animal agriculture is a leading cause of climate change. In short, PETA listed a lot of reasons why eating traditional meat and dairy foods is harmful and why it's harmful for Good Burger 2 to promote that.
PETA also pointed out that Good Burger 2 wouldn't exactly be doing anything novel by making this a part of their movie. Fast food chains and restaurants are increasing their vegan options nationwide, and PETA has the receipts for the various ones already making great strides:
Today, we have vegan patty options like Beyond Meat that imitate beef and satiate even the meatiest cravings without involving cruelty to animals, and vegan burgers have even made their way onto the menus of popular chains, including Carl’s Jr., Johnny Rockets, and TGI Fridays, to name a few. In fact, vegan fast food has taken the nation by storm, with all-vegan burger joints such as, Kevin Hart’s Hart House, Monty’s Good Burger, and Veggie Grill popping up across the country, so Good Burger would be in good company by making the switch to a vegan menu.
PETA stated that it would love to meet with the production team of Good Burger 2 to discuss this and provide consultation on the set. As of this writing, neither Kel Mitchell nor Kenan Thompson have publicly responded to the request in any way. It's unclear if the production will take PETA's advice or if it's already two steps ahead and has centered the entire movie around Good Burger chains going vegan.
While we don't know much about Good Burger 2, it appears there's already a solid script in place. Production on the film is scheduled to start this summer, and the movie will premiere for anyone with a Paramount+ subscription before the end of the year. I can't imagine the film would commit to any widespread changes at this point like the ones PETA is suggesting, but there's always a chance I could be surprised.
As mentioned, PETA has a habit of targeting big, trending projects and famous celebrities to help spread the word about its efforts to reduce animal cruelty. Whether it's calling out Kim Kardashian or actually congratulating The Walking Dead, PETA is always turning heads. We'll see if PETA actually makes waves with Good Burger 2 or if its request will fall on deaf ears.
As mentioned, Good Burger 2 is expected to be on Paramount+ by the end of the year. I know I'm going to be one of the first to fire up my account to watch it, regardless of what's on the menu.
