'Pitch Perfect 3': Here are the cast members who are coming back

According to Universal Studios, a third film in the 'Pitch' series is moving forward, with some of the stars from the first two 'Pitch' movies on board. Who will be coming back for 'Pitch Perfect 3'?

Some of the Barden Bellas will reportedly be returning for another “Pitch Perfect” movie.

We previously reported that “Pitch” screenwriter Kay Cannon was in negotiations to come back for a third movie following the smash success of this spring’s “Pitch Perfect 2.” Now, according to the Los Angeles Times, the movie has a release date and cast members officially on board. “Pitch Perfect 3” is reported to be scheduled for release in summer 2017, with actresses Anna Kendrick of “Into the Woods” and Rebel Wilson of "Pain & Gain" making return appearances. Kendrick and Wilson portrayed members of the a cappella group, the Barden Bellas, that is at the center of the “Pitch” movies, but since the characters they played were college seniors in “Pitch Perfect 2,” it was not a given that they would be back for a third film in the franchise. 

Elizabeth Banks, who both starred in and directed the second movie, is on board for the third film at least as a producer, but there’s no word yet on whether Banks will direct the film as well.

With Kendrick and Wilson on board, the film series is set to look more like a traditional movie series rather than the type of spin-off franchise that’s currently the vogue in Hollywood. In such box-office-topping franchises as the “Star Wars” and Marvel films, central films spawn spin-off movies involving other characters. For example, a new “Star Wars” film is set to debut this December but a film titled “Rogue One” that Variety reports is a “standalone” film set in the "Star Wars" universe is also in the works. For Marvel, there are movies like “Avengers: Age of Ultron” which brings all the franchise's characters together, but there are also movies in which some of the characters operate by themselves or new ones are introduced. 

When news broke of the possibility of a third “Pitch” film, we wondered whether actress Hailee Steinfeld, who starred in “Pitch Perfect 2” as a junior member of the Bellas, would head up a new spin-off film. That may still happen, but so far, the “Pitch” movie series seems much more like traditional sequels in that most or all the characters seem to be coming back for outing after outing.

Now the question is, what pop songs will be remixed this time for a new “Pitch” film?