Pitch Perfect arrived in 2012 as one of that year’s most surprising hits. The film, which told the story of a collegiate a cappella group called The Bellas, established Anna Kendrick as a leading movie star and Rebel Wilson as a breakout, while offering crowd-pleasing musical numbers and giving the a cappella form a rare mainstream showcase outside college campuses. The relatively low-budgeted film earned over $100 million at the worldwide box office, while developing a substantial cult following that grew over time.

A sequel, Pitch Perfect 2, arrived in 2015, and while its reviews weren’t as positive as the first film, it easily surpassed the box office total of the original, going on to become the highest-grossing musical comedy film in history. So naturally, a third Pitch Perfect was soon greenlit, and now we have our first look at it.

On the official Pitch Perfect YouTube channel (see above), the cast posted a 40-second video Friday featuring the first day on set for the upcoming Pitch Perfect 3, which is set for release in December. The video features the cast of the film in what looks like a dance studio, practicing the choreography for the new film.

There are glimpses of Kendrick, Wilson, Brittany Snow, and other perennials of the series, although no sign of Hailee Steinfeld, Ruby Rose, or any of the male or non-Bellas cast members. Snow mentions that the music in the new movie is both harder than ever and better than ever. But there’s not much hint about the plot or what other direction the new film might take.

Some may wonder whether or not the series can succeed with Step Up: All In’s Trish Sie stepping in to direct after previous director Elizabeth Banks bowed out. Most likely, it can; the formula is quite durable and the series enjoys a devoted following that has only grown over time. Most of the cast is back, with screenwriter Kay Cannon also returning, essentially ensuring the film will appeal to hardcore fans.

As the series ages, though, it may become more difficult to portray the cast as a group of college-types cranking out show-stopping a cappella routines on what one can only imagine is a less-than-lucrative circuit. Should Pitch Perfect 3 justify a fourth installment in the franchise, perhaps the writers will see fit to use some type of retconning or other storytelling creativity to either explain the passage of time or re-establish The Bellas as a post-collegiate group.

Pitch Perfect 3 is expected in theaters on December 22, 2017.

Source: Pitch Perfect