The animated movie Sing by Illumination was, I think, a surprise hit. Although not perfect, it certainly had a surprisingly sweet message for both young and old viewers. Is it worth a sequel? That remains to be seen. At least the follow was written and directed by Garth Jennings who did both duties for the first film, so that is a good sign.

Sing 2 won’t arrive in theaters until Christmas time, BUT Universal Pictures has announced that the film will be playing sneak previews at more than 1,000 theaters nationwide on November 27 which just might make for a great family outing after Thanksgiving and Black Friday shopping. Each showing will take place at about 5 p.m. at each theater and purchasing advanced tickets is advised.

In Sing 2, Bono lends his voice for his first animated film debut. He is joined by cast from the first film and others including Matthew McConaughey, Reese Witherspoon, Scarlett Johansson, Taron Egerton, Tori Kelly, Nick Kroll, Garth Jennings, Pharrell Williams, Halsey, Bobby Cannavale, Letitia Wright, Eric André and Chelsea Peretti.

Illumination says that what begins as a dream of big-time success becomes an emotional reminder of the power of music to heal even the most broken heart.

In the new movie, Buster (McConaughey) has turned the New Moon Theater into a local hit, but Buster has his eyes on a bigger prize: Debuting a new show at the Crystal Tower Theater in glamorous Redshore City. But with no connections, Buster and his cast have to sneak their way into the world-famous Crystal Entertainment offices, run by ruthless mogul Jimmy Crystal (Cannavale).

In a desperate attempt to get Mr. Crystal’s attention, Gunter (Kroll) spontaneously pitches an outrageous idea that Buster quickly runs with, promising that their new show will star rock legend Clay Calloway (Bono). Problem is, Buster has never met Clay, an artist who shut himself away from the world more than a decade ago after the loss of his wife. Even worse, Buster has failed to realize that Mr. Crystal is an egocentric gangster who would rather drop somebody off the roof of a building than be lied to. (Not exactly your usual children’s movie storyline.)

As Gunter helps Buster dream up an out-of-this-world theatrical masterpiece, and the pressure (and sinister threats) from Mr. Crystal mount, Rosita’s (Witherspoon) leading role in the show gets ripped away and handed to Mr. Crystal’s spoiled daughter, Porsha (Halsey). Desperate to save the show, and his life, Buster embarks on a quest to find Clay and persuade him to return to the stage.

Sing 2 combines more than 40 contemporary and classic hit songs from pop to rock, hip hop to Latin, and from artists including Billie Eilish, Drake, U2, The Weeknd, Prince, Taylor Swift, BTS, Cardi B, Bad Bunny, J Balvin, Shawn Mendes and Camila Cabello.

With more than 40 contemporary and classic hit songs, electrifying performances and breathtaking artistry, Sing 2 is said to serve as a reminder about the importance of dreaming big and the power of music to heal.

(Main Image: Lumination)