The Emoji Movie: Chapter 2

The Emoji Movie: Chapter 2 is a 2028 American computer-animated comedy film directed by Tony Leondis and written by Leondis, Chris McKenna, and Erik Sommers, based on emoji faces, smileys and graphics used in electronic messages. Produced by Columbia Pictures and Sony Pictures Animation, it is a sequel to the 2017 film The Emoji Movie and the second installment in the trilogy. The film stars the voices of T.J. Miller, James Corden, Anna Faris, Maya Rudolph, Richard Gere, Will Arnett, Madison Iseman, Aaron Taylor-Johnson, Keegan-Michael Key, Jordan Peele, and Chris Pine. The film's plot follows Gene Meh as he and his emoji friends Hi-5, Jailbreak, and Smiler are accidentally transported to the human world following a glitch in Alex's phone, and in order to get around, they team up with a crew of fugitive filmmakers led by Tony Rochester, who are on the run from a crazy hitman named Brian McLeach. The film premiered at the Regency Village Theater on July 16, 2028, and was released theatrically in the United States on July 21, 2028, by Sony Pictures Releasing. It was a box-office success, grossing over $378 million on a $52 million budget. Like its predecessor, The Emoji Movie: Chapter 2 received near-universal disdain from critics and audiences alike, although the animation was mostly praised. It won a Razzie Award for Worst Prequel or Sequel. A spin-off film, titled Alex + Addie, focusing on the human characters, was released in 2031, whilst a sequel, titled The Emoji Movie: Chapter 3 - Last Text, was released in 2035.
== Synopsis ==
Following the events of the first film, Gene Meh is now a well-known emoji in Textopolis, with every emoji (including Smiler) treating him like a celebrity. However, things start to take a really twisted turn when Alex's phone gets a massive glitch, transporting Gene, Hi-5, Jailbreak, and Smiler into the human world. Now they must navigate their way around the real world in order to get back home to Textopolis. While doing so, they join forces with a crew of fugitive filmmakers, led by Tony Rochester, who are being hunted down by a crazy hitman named Brian McLeach. Now McLeach not only is after Rochester and his crew but also four really confused emojis.
== Voice cast ==
* T.J. Miller as Gene Meh, a "meh" emoji who can show various expressions.
* James Corden as Hi-5, a goofy and childish but good-natured hand emoji representing a high five signal and Gene's best friend.
* Anna Faris as Jailbreak, a cool and tech-savvy hacker emoji that was revealed to be a princess emoji named Linda towards the end of the first film and is Gene's girlfriend and roommate.
* Maya Rudolph as Smiler, a crazy but kindhearted smiley emoji who formerly served as the main antagonist of the first film.
* Richard Gere as Brian McLeach, a crazy hitman who is after Tony Rochester and his crew and eventually Gene, Hi-5, Jailbreak, and Smiler.
* Will Arnett as Tony Rochester, a fugitive filmmaker and CEO of Rochester Enterprises who teams up with Gene and his emoji friends to help them move around the human world.
* Aaron Taylor-Johnson as Mike DuBois, a French cameraman and one of Rochester's employees.
* Madison Iseman as Sasha, a stripper who works as Rochester's boom operator.
* Keegan-Michael Key and Jordan Peele as Wolfie and Wolfer, a pair of comical wolves that Gene and his emoji friends encounter in a nearby forest.
* Chris Pine as Derek, Rochester's head cinematographer.
* Patrick Stewart as Poop, a fancy poop emoji and one of Gene's friends.
* Steven Wright as Mel Meh, Gene's emoji father and Mary's husband.
* Jennifer Coolidge as Mary Meh, Gene's emoji mother and Mel's wife.
* John Michael Higgins as Mayor Messenger, the Mayor of Textopolis.
* Sean Hayes as Steven, a wisecracking devil emoji and one of Gene's friends.
* Sofia Vergara as Flamenca, a flamboyant flamenco dancer emoji and one of Gene's friends.
* Taylor Swift as Akika Sparkle, a "super cool" dancer who lives inside the Dubsmash app.
* Jake T. Austin as Alex, an insecure and unintelligent but friendly human teenager who owns and operates the smartphone where Gene and his emoji friends live.
* Tati Gabrielle as Addie McAllister, Alex's awkward but loving girlfriend.
* Rob Riggle as Bill Freeze, the unnamed ice cream emoji from the first film.
* Conrad Vernon as the Trojan Horse, who serves as a bartender in the Piracy app.
* Tony Leondis as the Laughter, Broom, and Pizza emojis, respectively.
* Dan Aykroyd as himself, an emoji version of the actor that Hi-5 mistakes for Bill Murray.
* Patrick Warburton as Bob, an overweight caterpillar emoji.
* June Squibb as Amanda, an elderly ostrich emoji.
* Liam Aiken as Ronnie Ramtech, one of the two programmers and Jailbreak's co-worker that select which Emoji to display on a phone.