At the Movies: Sing 2

The band is back together! Sing 2 reassembles the crew of lovable animals from the 2016 animated musical Sing. And it adds a notable new character to the mix: Clay Calloway, a lion who’s a famous musician. Clay is voiced by Bono, the lead singer of legendary rock band U2.

Overseeing the magic of Sing 2 
is Garth Jennings. He wrote and directed the film. When I spoke to him, Jennings said he was delighted when Bono agreed to be part it. “He’d seen the first film and really liked it,” Jennings told me. “He has a very passionate view of music and how important it is, and he loved being part of the fabric of this story.”

Much like the original, this movie is full of songs that will make audiences want to join in. In Sing 2, the talented animals are again led by Buster Moon, a koala who’s an aspiring director. Jennings told me he has a special connection with Buster. “Buster is the character most like me,” he says. “He really believes in trying to make something wonderful, something worth dedicating your life to.”

In the movie, Buster and his animal performers work to impress a cutthroat entertainment boss by presenting a glitzy theatrical production that’s out of this world. (It’s a musical set in outer space.)

Speaking of outer space, Jennings told me he first dreamed about making movies after seeing Star Wars. That was when he was 5 years old.

What’s the theme of Sing 2? Never give up on your dreams. “It’s important that you go for it,” Jennings says. “That you fulfill your potential, whatever your potential is.”

Sing 2 is set to arrive in movie theaters on December 22.