Illumination Entertainment Unveils A-List Cast for Their Second 2016 Film ‘SING’

The film – written and directed by Garth Jennings (Hitchhikers’ Guide to the Galaxy, Son of Rambow) – stars Matthew McConaughey as Buster Moon, described as a “dapper koala who runs a once-great theater that has fallen on hard times. Seeing the thing he loves most in his life coming to ruin, Buster connives to restore the theater’s fortunes by producing the world’s greatest singing competition.”

“Buster is a salesman and a survivor, eternally optimistic and someone who will do anything to make sure ‘the show goes on,’ ” says McConaughey.

Left to right: Buster Moon (Matthew McConaughey) and Mike (Seth McFarlane)

The film also stars Seth McFarlane as Mike, a “crooning, con artist mouse”; Tori Kelly as Meena, a “timid teenage elephant suffering from stage fright”; Reese Witherspoon as Rosita, “the overtaxed mother of a litter of 25 piglets”; Taron Egerton as Johnny, a “young gorilla from a crime family eager to break out of the family business”; Scarlett Johansson as Ash, a “punk rock porcupine looking to ditch her arrogant boyfriend and embark on a solo career”; and John C. Reilly as Eddie, a black sheep and Buster’s best friend.

“She rarely has a second to herself, so she finds her moments of freedom intersect with this passion for music,” Witherspoon says, describing her character, Rosita. “She embodies and embraces that singer in all of us who just belts it out when no one is looking.”

From left to right: Johnny (Taron Egerton) and Rosita (Reese Witherspoon)

“Ash is an artist at heart who discovers her true voice with the support of her friends and fellow artists. In fact, she represents a lot of teenagers going through the same experience of embracing their true selves as they come of age.” Scarlett Johansson says of her character.

From left to right: Meena (Tori Kelly) and Ash (Scarlett Johansson)

In case you weren’t convinced that this film would be a full-on musical, the soundtrack will include 85 “hit songs.” In the same fashion as Strange Magic, these songs will span every decade, from the 1940’s to the present. According to Chris Meledandri (CEO of Illumination and the film’s producer), they will all be in the film, sung by various characters:  “When you start to see these animals sing, it’s absolutely magical and hysterical.”

The film will mark a unique departure for Illumination. Like with The Secret Life of Pets, Sing is an original project with no ties to the studio’s flagship Despicable Me franchise. Unlike The Secret Life of Pets, Sing isn’t being made with the same writers or directors of other Illumination films. Sing is the brainchild of a singular idea and vision. That alone will make the movie – or at least the reception of the film from critics and moviegoers – interesting to watch.

Sing will bow into theaters on December 21, 2016.