Typically, filmgoers associate the arrival of autumn with prestigious awards fare. It’s when the big guns come out when studios present their shiniest and most exciting projects. For theaters, this fall will see added stakes as the first significant season of the post-pandemic period. With the moviegoing tradition in such a precarious position, it’ll be more important than ever that the films draw a sizable audience. October will feature the premiere of highly anticipated movies like “Dune,” Ridley Scott’s “The Last Duel,” and the new James Bond film “No Time to Die.” And yet, the most profitable of them all might end up being “The Addams Family 2,” the follow-up to 2019’s successful adaptation.
Animated family comedies continue to be the most reliable money-makers in the business. Despite the upcoming sequel arriving closer to Halloween than summer break, its plot isn’t dissimilar from the 1983 comedy classic “National Lampoon’s Vacation.” Here’s the official synopsis:
“Everyone’s favorite spooky family is back in the animated comedy sequel, The Addams Family 2. In this all-new movie, we find Morticia and Gomez distraught that their children are growing up, skipping family dinners, and totally consumed with “scream time.” To reclaim their bond, they decide to cram Wednesday, Pugsley, Uncle Fester, and the crew into their haunted camper and hit the road for one last miserable family vacation. Their adventure across America takes them out of their element and into hilarious run-ins with their iconic cousin, IT, as well as many new kooky characters. What could possibly go wrong?”
Gomez, Morticia, Wednesday, Uncle Fester, and Grandmama will again be voiced by Oscar Isaac, Charlize Theron, Chloë Grace Moretz, Nick Kroll, and Bette Midler, respectively, but Finn Wolfhard has been subbed out for Javon ‘Wanna’ Walton as Pugsley. Snoop Dogg also returns as Cousin Itt, with Bill Hader and Wallace Shawn voicing new characters to round out the primary cast. Conrad Vernon and Greg Tiernan reprise their roles as co-directors (the pair also directed 2016’s “Sausage Party”), ensuring the dark, playful tone from the first film remains satisfyingly intact.
However, “The Addams Family 2” won’t be the only family-friendly offering of its kind this spooky season. The animated feature is scheduled to hit theaters and VOD on October 1.