Rio 2

Rio 2
Theatrical release poster
Directed by	Carlos Saldanha
Produced by	Bruce Anderson John C. Donkin
Story by	Don Rhymer Carlos Saldanha
Starring	Jesse Eisenberg Anne Hathaway Leslie Mann Jemaine Clement George Lopez Jamie Foxx will.i.am
Music by	John Powell
Cinematography	Renato Falcão
Studio	Blue Sky Studios 20th Century Fox Animation
Distributed by	20th Century Fox
Release dates	March 20, 2014 (2014-03-20) (International) April 11, 2014 (2014-04-11) (United States)
Country	United States
Language	English Portuguese

Rio 2 is an upcoming 2014 American 3D computer-animated musical adventure-comedy film produced by Blue Sky Studios and directed by Carlos Saldanha. It is the sequel to the 2011 computer-animated film Rio and the studio's first film to have a sequel outside of their existing Ice Age franchise. The title refers to the Brazilian city of Rio de Janeiro, where the film is set. The film features the returning voices of Jesse Eisenberg, Anne Hathaway, will.i.am, Jamie Foxx, George Lopez, Tracy Morgan, Jemaine Clement, Leslie Mann, Rodrigo Santoro, and Jake T. Austin. The film is scheduled to be released on April 11, 2014^[1] in American theaters and internationally on March 20, 2014. Rio 2 will be Don Rhymer's final film after he died on November 28, 2012.

Plot

Blu, Jewel and their three kids leave their domesticated life in the city of Rio de Janeiro for a journey to the Amazon rainforest where they encounter a menagerie of characters born to be wild. Upon arrival, the family comes across Jewel's long-lost father, in hiding with a group of other Spix's Macaws. But things take a turn for the worse when they realize their Amazonian habitat is under threat and that Blu and Jewel's old nemesis Nigel the cockatoo is back for revenge.^[2]

Cast

• Jesse Eisenberg as Tyler Blu Gunderson, a male Spix's macaw from Moose Lake^[1]
• Anne Hathaway as Jewel, a female Spix's macaw from Rio de Janeiro^[1]
• Leslie Mann as Linda Gunderson, a girl who adopted Blu for 15 years^[1]
• Jemaine Clement as Nigel, a sadistic sulphur-crested Cockatoo^[1]
• George Lopez as Rafael, a romantic Toco Toucan fond of Carnival^[1]
• Jamie Foxx as Nico, Pedro's close friend. He is a Yellow Canary with a bottlecap hat^[1]
• will.i.am as Pedro, a rapping Red-crested Cardinal^[1]
• Rodrigo Santoro as Tulio Monteiro, a Brazilian ornithologist and Linda's boyfriend^[1]
• Jake T. Austin as Fernando, Linda and Tulio's adopted son^[1]
• Tracy Morgan as Luiz, a bulldog and a chainsaw expert with a drooling condition^[1]
• Bebel Gilberto as Eva; a Keel-billed Toucan and Rafael's wife^[1]
• Andy García^[1] as Eduardo, Jewel's father^[3]
• Bruno Mars^[1] as Roberto, Jewel's childhood friend and ex-boyfriend^[3]
• Kristin Chenoweth^[1] as Gabi, a poisonous tree frog romantically interested in Nigel^[3]
• Rita Moreno as Mimi, Eduardo's older sister^[1][4]
• Rachel Crow as Carla, Blu and Jewel's music-loving, older daughter^[3][1][5]
• Amandla Stenberg^[1] as Bia, Blu and Jewel's intelligent, younger daughter^[3]
• Pierce Gagnon^[1] as Tiago, Blu and Jewel's youngest and only son^[3]
• Natalie Morales as a news anchor^[1][6][7]
• Janelle Monáe^[1] as TBA

Production

In a January 2012, interview after his nomination for the Academy Award for Best Original Song, Sérgio Mendes said that the film is likely to have a sequel, and that Carlos Saldanha is planning it for release in 2014, a few months before the World Cup, which will be held in Brazil. Also, a spokesperson for 20th Century Fox said that the studio is interested in turning Rio into a franchise.^[8] On January 25, 2012, while speaking to the Associated Press, Sérgio Mendes who co-wrote a song for the first film spoke about the sequel, saying: "I think the plan is for the movie to come three or four months before the World Cup. Fox has been talking about (it) and it looks like it's going to happen. We're going to have a meeting I think next week and Carlos is coming to town to tell us the story, and it looks like it's a go."^[8]

In April 2012, Deadline.com reported that Jesse Eisenberg had signed up to reprise his role as Blu,^[9] whereas Anne Hathaway had also signed on to reprise her role as Jewel.^[10] In October 2012, Variety stated that Carlos Saldanha had officially signed a five-year deal with 20th Century Fox that allows him to helm live-action and/or animated films, with the sequel being part of that contractual agreement.^[11] Don Rhymer, screenplay writer of the first film, died on November 28, 2012 during the writing phase of the sequel, after a battle with head and neck cancer.^[12] In January 2013, Rodrigo Santoro confirmed his return to voice ornithologist Tulio Monteiro, as well as hinting that the sequel's setting will involve the Amazon.^[13] 20th Century Fox and Blue Sky unveiled the first teaser trailer at the annual Las Vegas, Nevada CinemaCon on April 18, 2013.^[14][15] On May 14, 2013, that same trailer was released online worldwide, and attached with Epic.^[16]

Marketing

Under the supervision of 20th Century Fox - with director Carlos Saldanha and music composer John Powell - the film's natural hometown of Rio de Janeiro, Brazil used the movie as a tie-in promotion for the 2014 New Year's Eve celebration at Copacabana Beach.^[17]

Four new Angry Birds Rio episodes — all visually tied to Rio 2 will be released in 2014.^[18]

References

External links

• Official website
• Rio 2 at the Internet Movie Database
• Rio 2 at Rotten Tomatoes
• Rio 2 at Metacritic
• Rio 2 at Box Office Mojo