After collecting a Screen Actors Guild Award for his scenery-chewing performance as Winston Churchill in The Crown, John Lithgow has enrolled for Universal’s Pitch Perfect 3.
Word comes by way of Variety, revealing that Lithgow now joins fellow newcomer Ruby Rose (Orange is the New Black, xXx: Return of Xander Cage) for another helping of a capella-related hijinks. Anna Kendrick, Rebel Wilson, Anna Camp, Hailee Steinfeld and Brittany Snow are among the returning faces, and with production already underway, we fully expect Universal to lock down another casting announcement or two in the coming weeks. Speaking of which, there’s currently no mention of how Lithgow factors into Pitch Perfect 3, but we’ll be keeping a close eye on the threequel as the Barden Bellas prepare to stage their triumphant return.
At the helm for this one is franchise newcomer Trish Sie, who supplanted Elizabeth Banks (Pitch Perfect 2) in the director’s chair early on in development – the latter will still star and produce, mind you. Such a creative switcheroo resulted in Universal postponing Pitch Perfect 3 back to December of 2017, where it will open only a few days after Rian Johnson’s Star Wars: The Last Jedi. Pitch Perfect stalwart Kay Cannon is behind the screenplay, with some revisions from Mike White and Dana Fox.
Lithgow’s turn as the British Bulldog may be fresh in everyone’s minds, but the actor is already thinking further afield. Beyond Pitch Perfect 3, Lithgow is on the verge of landing a role in comedy sequel Daddy’s Home 2, which would see the SAG winner star opposite Will Ferrell, Mark Wahlberg and, potentially, Mel Gibson. Look for that one to whip up a storm on November 10th.