The ever-so optimistic koala Buster Moon (Matthew McConaughey) is back in “Sing 2.” This time, Buster and his talented group of singing animals are headed for the big time and desperately want to get a gig at the Crystal Tower Theater in glamorous Redshore City.
There’s only one problem - Buster has promised ruthless mogel Jimmy Crystal (Bobby Cannavale) that their new show will include reclusive rockstar Clay Calloway (Bono). Now he has to convince Calloway to join the show and create something spectacular.
NBC sat down with McConaughey to find out why Buster is always so optimistic.
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“He’s relentlessly optimistic and I’m a believer that optimism is a means of survival,” McConaughey said. “That’s not a foolish idea at all. That we have to be optimistic.”
Scarlett Johansson and Tori Kelly reprise their roles as Ash and Meena. Ash is tasked with convincing Calloway to perform in their show at the Crystal Theater. Johansson said she has been friends with Bono for a very long time and wasn’t too nervous for their duet. She says she practiced in her car.
“When I did the ‘Stuck In A Moment’ duet, I basically just sang it really loud in my car for a few weeks,” Johansson said. “And I went into the studio and was like, here’s what I’ve been working on in my car (laughs).”
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And the work sounds incredible. Johansson’s songs with Bono are definite highlights of the film.
Another highlight is Tori Kelly’s amazing vocal work on “I Say A Little Prayer” with Pharrel Williams. In fact, all of the music in “Sing 2” is more fun, more poppy and more diverse than its predecessor. Writer/director Garth Jennings says that was intentional.
“To be able to select songs of this quality, that mean so much to people, that is as good as it gets,” Jennings said.
One person you won’t hear singing in “Sing 2”: McConaughey.
“Please bring this up to the director,” he jokes. “There’s a glitch going on here.”
And if he could sing any song if there is a “Sing 3?”
“Creedence. Clearwater. Revival,” he said matter-of-factly. “Revive some of their tunes into a modern day pop beat.”
Intriguing idea. For now there’s plenty of pop and positivity in “Sing 2.” It opens in theaters Dec. 22 and stars Matthew McConaughey, Scarlett Johansson, Tori Kelly, Reese Witherspoon, and Bono.
