Sing 3 is happening, but when? What to expect from the musical movie threequel

Illumination’s musical animals are set to return with more animated tunes, as Sing 3 is currently on the way.

Illumination is behind some of the best animated movies of our time, including Despicable Me and, more recently, The Super Mario Bros. Movie. Similarly, Sing has gone down a treat, with the first two being critical and commercial successes.

When director Garth Jennings’ Sing dropped in 2016, it earned more than $634 million worldwide, helped by its all-star voice cast including Matthew McConaughey and Scarlett Johansson. Sing 2, in 2021, kept up the fun with a new playlist of bops — honorable mention to Johansson’s rendition of ‘Heads Will Roll’ by the Yeah Yeah Yeahs.

Thankfully, Illumination founder and CEO Chris Meledandri revealed a new movie is in the works, so here’s everything we know about Sing 3.

Is there a release date?

There is no release date for Sing 3 yet.

In an April 2023 interview with Variety, Meledandri confirmed they are “deep in development” on Sing 3, adding that “it will involve characters from the original cast, but it will take us into a new world.

“We don’t just look at box office,” he added. “We gauge the audience response in different ways. The streaming success of Sing 2 signals that fans want to stay in this world with these characters.”

Universal Pictures

Since then, no other updates have been shared. Given the five-year gap between the first two movies, we can expect to wait a while before the threequel arrives.

If the third installment follows the same pattern, the third movie could be released in 2026. However, Sing 2 was pushed back due to the pandemic, meaning we might see 3 sooner.

Sing 3 plot speculation

At this point in time, no plot details for Sing 3 have been revealed. But we can safely assume it’ll follow the Moon Theater Group now they’ve achieved widespread acclaim and fame from their Out of This World stage play.

Naturally, the next step would be a world tour! And, obviously, the next movie will feature lots more musical numbers, both original and covers of popular songs.

Meledandri told Variety we’d be taken to a “new world.” Perhaps after their successful performance at The Majestic, Buster Moon decides to take the theater troupe on a global tour, with each stop presenting its own set of challenges and villains along the way.

Another idea could be the announcement of a prestigious international singing competition, with Buster seeing it as the perfect opportunity to showcase the talent of his group on a global stage.

But the competition is fierce, with performers from all over the world vying for the top prize. As they prepare for the show, tensions rise within the group, testing their bonds and forcing them to confront their insecurities. Ultimately, they must come together to prove they have what it takes to be the best.

Alternatively, it could go down a completely different route, taking us to what happened to the group years after their success or seeing them embark on a time-traveling or underwater adventure.

Who’s in the Sing 3 cast?

Illumination’s founder said Sing 3 “will involve characters from the original cast,” though an exact list isn’t confirmed.

It’s safe to assume Matthew McConaughey will be back as Buster Moon, given he’s the ringleader of the group. And, while we expect the other main players to stick around, there’s every chance they could be written out if their voice actors aren’t up for another gig.

Universal Pictures

Still, here’s the likely cast:

• Matthew McConaughey as Buster Moon
• Reese Witherspoon as Rosita
• Scarlett Johansson as Ash
• Taron Egerton as Johnny
• Tori Kelly as Meena
• Nick Kroll as Gunter
• Pharrell Williams as Alfonso
• Letitia Wright as Nooshy
• Halsey as Porsha Crystal
• Bono as Clay Calloway

McConaughey is down, having told CinemaBlend that he’d love to return as the koala king.

When asked why his character didn’t sing or dance in the sequel, the actor replied: “Maybe Sing 3, but it wasn’t in this one and a lot of people have been saying that and I’m like ‘That’s right, Buster Moon should sing, whistle, diddy, hum, dance, something’. Oh, that’d be super fun. That could be it. Bring it up to the director, I’m with you. You hear that Garth?”

Speaking of, Garth Jennings is set to return as director and writer once again.

Is there a trailer?

There isn’t a trailer for Sing 3 yet. The movie is still in development, so we won’t be getting any first looks until something’s been recorded or animated.

We’ll drop the trailer here when it does arrive. Until then, check out this all-access clip from Sing 2, where Buster Moon discusses his big show.

Until we know more, check out all of the best new movies on streaming, upcoming Disney Plus releases, or the best streaming services. And for more animated fun, there’s Frozen 3 and Shrek 5 to look forward to.