With Elizabeth Banks no longer on board to direct “Pitch Perfect 3,” Universal has acted quickly to find a new helmer for the next installment in one of its most popular franchises: Trish Sie.
Variety first reported earlier this year that Banks would not return to direct the third film. Banks explained at the Producers Guild’s Produced By conference in June that her parental duties drove her decision to leave the director’s chair.
Banks tweeted her support for the new director on Thursday afternoon. “#PitchPerfect has a new leader – so excited @bigbadtrish is directing #PP3!”
The studio recently moved back the movie’s release to Dec. 22, 2017, in order to have time to find Banks’ replacement, but production should stay on schedule as Universal has already closed a deal with Sie.
Jason Moore directed the original film and helped launch the franchise after the $15 million film went on to over-perform at the box office, leading the studio to greenlight a second movie.
Anna Kendrick, Rebel Wilson, and Brittany Snow are all signed on to return with Kay Cannon penning the script. Mike White wrote a previous draft.
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Banks will also reprise her role as Gail and serve as a producer along with Max Handelman of Brownstone Productions, and Paul Brooks and Scott Niemeyer of Gold Circle Films. Vice President of Production Sara Scott will oversee the project for Universal.
This would mark Sie’s biggest directing gig to date, though she’s no stranger to musical productions, having helmed “Step Up All In” — the latest entry in the “Step Up” franchise.
She is repped by UTA.
