Way back in April last year, a sequel to 2009’s Cloudy With A Chance Of Meatballs was announced, coming just a few months after the first film’s substantial success, turning Sony’s $100m. budget into just under $250m. at the box office, an incredibly impressive feat for the relatively new directing pair of Phil Lord and Chris Miller.
Variety are reporting that Sony are once again turning to a relatively unknown duo to direct the sequel, in the form of Cody Cameron and Kris Pearn, two Sony Animation artists who will be making their major debut with Cloudy With A Chance Of Meatballs 2.
Whilst I admit that I’m still yet to see the original, it looked brilliant when it came out two years ago, and had a lot of terrific talent lending their voices for the film, headed up by Bill Hader and Anna Faris, with Nil Patrick Harris, Bruce Campbell, Andy Samberg, James Caan, Mr. T, and Lauren Graham heading up the rest of the cast.
Though their names may not be household just yet, neither Cameron nor Pearn are new to animation. Cameron has previously directed Open Season 3, along with working as a story artist on films like Shrek, Madagascar, and Surf’s Up, the last of which also had Pearn working as a story artist, and he was also head of story for the first Meatballs film.
The project is still being developed and doesn’t have a greenlight as yet, but it sounds like Sony are confident in moving forward by announcing Cameron and Pearn as co-directors, so fans of the first film should probably start getting excited about it right about now. And if you’re like me and haven’t seen the original, then be sure to pick up a copy soon and play a bit of catch-up; that’s my plan, anyway.
The sequel’s script is coming from the brilliant writing duo John Francis Daley and Jonathan M. Goldstein, who brought us one of this year’s funniest films, Horrible Bosses, and who are scripting the Jim Carrey- and Steve Carell-led upcoming comedy, Burt Wonderstone, so if you were at all worried the film wouldn’t live up to its original, it sounds like it’s in safely comedic hands. More news as we get it.
