Angry Birds Movie 2, sequel to the 2016 animated movie, has added rapper Nicki Minaj to the cast. Both films are based on the popular mobile app Angry Birds. The first film followed Red (Jason Sudeikis), speedy Chuck (Josh Gad), and Bomb (Danny McBride), three outcasts who have to lead their island of flightless birds in a fight to rescue their eggs from the pig army.
The original Angry Birds brought in $350 million worldwide on a budget of $73 million, providing a healthy profit for Sony Animation. Thanks to the financial response, the film became one of a handful of successful video game adaptations. It also provided Sony with a reason to plan a sequel, which the studio first announced back in 2016. The sequel is slated to release August 16, 2019, in honor of the game's ten-year anniversary. In 2017, Sony revealed that Thurop Van Orman will direct with John Rice co-directing. Peter Ackerman (Ice Age) has been brought on to write the script. Sudeikis, Gad, and McBride will be reprising their roles, along with Bill Hader (Leonard), and Peter Dinklage (Mighty Eagle). But some new voices will be joining the Angry Birds cast, including Minaj.
Related: 10 Best Movies Based Off Video Games
The news comes from Variety. There's no word yet what role Minaj is going to play. Minaj has a number of acting credits already including The Other Woman and Barbershop: The Next Cut. She has previously loaned her talents to another character in an animated film, voicing Steffie in Ice Age: Continental Drift.
Minaj is just the latest casting for Angry Birds Movie 2. Audiences can expect a host of familiar voices, including Awkwafina, Sterling K. Brown, Leslie Jones, and Dove Cameron.
News of the sequel might come as a bit of a surprise for some. Not much has been revealed since the initial announcement. The plot remains a mystery, although it's likely the pig army will be seeking revenge for what occurred in the first film. While Angry Birds did turn a profit, it was not a wild success domestically. The film was not well received by critics and audiences, sitting at a 44% rating on Rotten Tomatoes. Interest in the app had waned by the time the first film was released, and it's likely that interest has continued to decline since then. However, the first film surprised everyone by making a successful movie based off a years old app, so it's possible Sony may replicate their results. Audiences and skeptics alike will have to wait until next summer to learn just how much interest remains in Angry Birds.
More: 15 Video Game Adaptations You Didn't Know Were Coming in 2018 and 2019
Source: Variety