Elizabeth Banks to direct 'Pitch Perfect 2'

When Pitch Perfect came out in 2012 I don't think anyone expected the end result. I don't just mean that it was FAR better than the formulaic and off-beat comedy that was promised by the trailers but also in terms of dollar dollar bills y'all. Made on a budget of around $17 million the movie pulled $115 million in box office receipts and almost the same in home video/digital sales (not to mention the soundtrack sales). That's the kind of result that saves a studio's year and all but guarantees a sequel, who am I kidding, nowadays it does guarantee a sequel. The Hollywood Reporter is putting out that Elizabeth Banks is set to make her directorial debut with the follow-up film which is being written now, while there's no concrete word Anna Kendrick and Rebel Wilson are also extremely likely to return. 

While liking someone as an actor doesn't necessarily translate to liking them in other roles I have a ton of faith in Banks' ability. She seems to conquer whatever she touches and has worked with some of the most talented directors working today, so she must have pulled a tip or two from their notebooks. It's actually a perfect project, though a little high profile, for a debut. It's not exactly a film that hinges on the skill of it's direction and already has a very dedicated built in audience. 

I just hope this doesn't mean her character in the original, Gail, will be absent. She and John Michael Higgins were the perfect cherry on top as the funniest commentators this side of Pepper Brooks and Cotton McKnight.