'Rio 2': The animated sequel brings viewers back to the bird world
Blue Sky Studios struck gold once with their 2002 film 鈥淚ce Age,鈥� which was followed by three sequels, the most recent released in 2012.
Now the animation studio has produced its first non-鈥淚ce Age鈥� sequel with the film 鈥淩io 2,鈥� which is a follow-up to the 2011 film 鈥淩io.鈥� Like the first movie, 鈥淩io 2鈥� follows birds Blu (Jesse Eisenberg) and Jewel (Anne Hathaway), who met and fell in love in the first film. Now Blu and Jewel are traveling with their children from their home in Rio de Janeiro to the Amazon.聽
Other actors returning for the sequel include Flight of the Conchords member Jemaine Clement, who voices Blu and Jewel鈥檚 enemy Nigel,聽a cockatoo; 鈥淭he Other Woman鈥� actress Leslie Mann, who voices the part of Linda, Blu鈥檚 owner; 鈥�300: Rise of an Empire鈥� actor Rodrigo Santoro as Linda鈥檚 husband Tulio; and 鈥淭he Amazing Spider-Man 2鈥� actor Jamie Foxx.
Singer Bruno Mars, among other actors, is joining the cast for the sequel and Mars is also lending a song to the film鈥檚 soundtrack. "Rio" earned an Oscar nomination for Best Original Song for the song "Real in Rio."
Eisenberg recently spoke with about his work on the film.
鈥淚 think the new story they have is really cute and funny,鈥� he said. 鈥淭hey allow me to bring my own sense of humor to it.鈥�
The actor, who recently starred in the 2013 film 鈥淣ow You See Me,鈥� said it was an adjustment for him to learn how far to take his acting when he is only using his voice to express emotions.聽
鈥淏ecause it鈥檚 not a visual medium for the actor, you can push it a little bit,鈥� Eisenberg said of voicing a character for an animated feature. 鈥淵ou can be a little bigger and do a little more as an actor.鈥�
鈥淩io 2鈥� is in theaters now.
