Nigel, the smart villainous cockatoo that was left flightless in the worldwide hit “Rio” has caught the eye and heart of a toxic frog named Gabi (voiced by Kristin Chenoweth) in the latest family adventure “Rio 2” from Blue Sky Studios. Our favorite “Rio” characters Jesse Eisenberg, Anne Hathaway, Sergio Mendes, Jemaine Clement, George Lopez, Tracy Morgan and Jamie Foxx are joined by Oscar nominee Andy Garcia, Grammy winner Bruno Mars, Tony® winner Kristin Chenoweth and Oscar/Emmy®/Tony winner Rita Moreno. RIO 2 also features new Brazilian artists and original music by Janelle Monáe and Wondaland.

Now, Saldanha returns to Brazil and reunites his beloved characters in “Rio 2.” In the new film, it’s a jungle out there for Blu, Jewel and their three kids, after they’re hurtled from Rio to the wilds of the Amazon. As Blu tries to fit in, he goes beak-to-beak with the vengeful and villainous Nigel, and meets the most fearsome adversary of all…his father-in-law.

When Jewel decides the kids need to learn to live like real birds, she insists the family venture to the Amazon. Blu tells his buddies of his travel plans, but Nico, Pedro and Luiz warn him of the myriad dangers that could lie ahead in the wild. But the ever-positive Rafael encourages Blu, reminding him that “a happy wife means a happy life!”

Meanwhile, the treacherous cockatoo Nigel plots his revenge on Blu, aided by Gabi (Kristin Chenoweth), a cute poisonous frog who is fiercely loyal to Nigel and though small in stature, possesses a huge villainous heart. While Blu deals with rigors of jungle life, a disapproving father-in-law, and a potential rival for Jewel’s affections, yet another threat looms. Nigel, who suffered the most undignified of indignities at the end of “Rio,” is back. He’s followed Blu and Jewel to the Amazon, and now he’s hungry for payback. For Nigel, revenge is a dish best served cold…and with lots of blue feathers.

In “Rio,” Nigel was defeated by what he calls “the pretty birds,” including Blu, with the wily cockatoo losing his feathers in the process. Now he flies like a chicken and works as fortune-teller’s assistant at a third-rate street fair. Nigel isat the lowest point in his life, and he’s not happy about it. So when he sees the blue birds that have caused him so much misery, he seeks vengeance. “He’s had some bad luck, professionally,” says Jemaine Clement, who returns as Nigel.

As he did in “Rio,” Clement focused on the character’s less unsavory qualities. “Nigel’s predominant passions are Shakespeare, alliteration, revenge, and attention,” he notes. “He is still evil but Nigel really wants to return to acting. Sometimes that can affect his focus on evil-doing.”

Nigel’s dreams of show business glory take flight in a particularly telling moment. As he prepares to deal with Blu once and for all, Nigel instead ends up taking center stage, in disguise, at the auditions overseen by Nico, Pedro and Rafael. Nigel comes up with an act, on the fly, which sparks his inner artist. His rendition of the Gloria Gaynor standard “I Will Survive” (with special parody lyrics by Clement and co-screenwriter Yoni Brenner) is a big hit. In fact, Nigel is told he’s made the cut for the musical extravaganza!

Nigel’s henchperson – hench-frog, that is – is an amorous amphibian named Gabi, who is deeply in love with Nigel – “understandably so, of course,” says Clement. The tragedy of their love is that they can’t canoodle because Gabi is highly toxic – and Nigel has no interest in her, anyway. Indeed, he often finds her to be quite annoying.

Venomous adoration doesn’t prevent Gabi from trying to bond with her wannabe soul mate. “Gabi wants to make Nigel proud of her,” says Kristin Chenoweth, who voices the role. “That is why she’s always by his side and hoping he notices her in the way she wants to be noticed, which of course he doesn’t. Gabi will do whatever it takes to keep Nigel safe and happy and where he belongs, which is on the stage.”

“Poisonous Love,” with music by Carlinhos Brown and John Powell, lyrics by Randy Rogel, and performed by Kristin Chenoweth and Jemaine Clement, is one of Powell’s favorites. The scene has the toxic amphibian proclaiming her love for the cocky cockatoo. “I must admit that every time we get to ‘Poisonous Love,’ I always end up laughing,” says Powell. “There’s something about the passion with which Kristin sang, as well. She just goes for it and when performed with that much belief, you’re on the edge of laughing and crying simultaneously.”

Another show-stopping musical moment comes with Jemaine/Nigel and Kristin/Gabi’s impromptu rendition of the classic Gloria Gaynor hit “I Will Survive,” during the Amazon auditions. The parody lyrics are by Jemaine Clement and co-screenwriter Yoni Brenner.

Powell was initially surprised, if not shocked by that song choice, but he notes, “When they showed me the scene, I suddenly realized, oh, they’re on to something here. And when Jemaine performed the song and added a rap section he had written, which happened, literally, while we were recording his vocals, it really came together. He started coming up with these incredibly funny lines. The hardest thing with Jemaine is to pick the lines you want, because there were so many great ones. And Kristin was the perfect partner, adding her own special touches and fun to the tune.”

“Rio 2” in 3D and 2D will open nationwide in theaters on April 9 from 20^th Century Fox to be distributed by Warner Bros.

Want to see Nico and Pedro of “Rio 2”? See them in the flesh—uh-mascots – in these times and malls!

Meet & Greet Schedule

MARCH 28, SATURDAY

Sta Lucia East 12:30 - 1:30pm

Robinsons Metroeast 2:30 - 3:30pm

SM Marikina 5:00 - 6:00pm

Eastwood City Walk 7:30 - 8:30pm

Eastwood Mall 7:30 - 8:30pm

MARCH 29, SUNDAY

Moa Toy Kindom 2:00 - 3:00pm

Moa Department Store 3:30 - 4:30pm

SM Mall of Asia 5:00 - 6:00pm

Newport 7:30 - 8:30pm

APRIL 5, SATURDAY

SM Megamall Toy Kingdom 2:00 - 3:00pm

Fairview Terraces 6:00 - 7:00pm

SM Fairview 8:00 - 9:00pm

APRIL 6, SUNDAY

Mega Character Shop 3:30 - 4:30pm

SM Megamall 5:30 - 6:30pm

APRIL 9, WEDNESDAY

Robinsons Galleria 1:00 - 2:00pm

SM Megamall 3:00 - 4:00pm

Shangri-La 5:00 - 6:00pm

Powerplant 7:30 - 8:30pm

Who initially does not know how to fly in the first Rio movie? The world witnessed when a Blue Macaw named Blu domestically grew up with his companion Linda who never learned to fly in the global blockbuster “Rio” from Blue Sky Studios. Blu is voiced by Jesse Eisenberg and reprises his voice act in “Rio 2” where we see him comfortably living in the city with his own family within Linda’s home.

In “Rio 2,” Blu spreads his wings wider, farther and higher as he and his family, along with their friends Luis, Pedro, Nico and Rafael, take a trip into the Amazon. Jewel (Oscar winning actress Anne Hathaway) and Blu (Oscar nominated Jesse Eisenberg) are now living happily in Rio, with their three kids. It’s a life that suits the thoroughly domesticated Blu, who only discovered he could actually fly in the first film. He enjoys nothing more than human comforts: TV, iPhones and pancakes for breakfast. Jewel’s heart lies in the wild though. This beautiful and feisty bird feels that Blu and the kids are becoming complacent and accustomed to their human comforts. In her mind, birds are meant to be wild and free.

On hearing the news from Blu’s human friends, Linda (Leslie Mann) and Tulio (Rodrigo Santoro) that they may not be the only birds of their kind, Jewel decides that the family should take a trip to the Amazon, search for others of their species, thought to be almost extinct, and learn to live in their natural environment. Less than happy at the prospect of leaving behind his home comforts, Blu agrees and they embark on an expedition to the Brazilian rainforest.

Director Carlos Saldanha returns to Brazil and reunites his beloved characters In “Rio 2,” where it’s a jungle out there for Blu, Jewel and their three kids, after they’re hurtled from Rio to the wilds of the Amazon. As Blu tries to fit in, he goes beak-to-beak with the vengeful and villainous Nigel, and meets the most fearsome adversary of all…his father-in-law.

Hurtled into the wilds, full of lush foliage, strange animals, dazzling flowers, Brazil nut trees, butterflies, and of course fabulous birds, the adventurers discover an entire flock of Blue Spix Macaws in a wonderful rainforest sanctuary. Incredibly, Jewel is reunited with her dad, Eduardo, voiced by Oscar nominated actor Andy Garcia, her Aunt Mimi, played by Rita Moreno and her childhood pal, the charismatic and overachieving Roberto (Grammy award-winning musician and producer Bruno Mars) who happens to be a great singer! While Jewel and the kids are thrilled, Blu feels like an outsider. Blu is worried he may lose the love of his life, and the kids in the jungle. All he wants to do is get everyone back to Rio as fast as possible.

“Blu has gone from being a domesticated city bird to being back in his natural environment,” says animation supervisor, Jim Bresnahan. “The stakes of going wild have been raised and he has a whole new set of obstacles to face. He will always be a domesticated bird at heart, but he has to deal with the wild. Jewel also has a conflict: Does she do what Blu wants? Or does she follow her heart, which is in the wild, even though she knows Blu isn’t comfortable there? That’s the conflict we explore in the movie. It’s more wild, and it’s fun.”

Blu is a little reluctant to make the journey, and for good reason: “In the first film, Blu thought the city of Rio was wild, but he hasn’t experienced the true meaning of wild until he travels to the Amazon,” Saldanha explains. “It’s a big trip for Blu and Jewel and the children. He’s not comfortable with it, but he’ll do it for the good of his family.”

Additionally, “Blu is concerned about raising the kids in this environment, because it is Jewel’s side of the family, and he is not part of it,” adds Carlos Saldanha. “So he asks: how is that going to work out? He had thought he had it all under control, under his wings, but now he has to fight for his family and living in the wild is not his idea of home.”

“The filmmakers and Carlos set a high bar with ‘Rio,’ but they’ve just blown the sky open with RIO 2!” exclaims Hathaway. Adds Eisenberg, who recently made headlines with the announcement of his casting as super-villain Lex Luthor in the “Man of Steel” sequel: “Rio 2 doesn’t feel like an extension of the first film; it’s something totally different. And I love playing Blu because he’s such a funny and sweet guy.”

“Rio 2” in 2D and 3D opens April 9 (Saturday) in more than 100 screens nationwide from 20^th Century Fox to be distributed by Warner Bros.

Blue Sky’s Studios’ Blue Macaws and friends from the worldwide hit “Rio” are back for a grander adventure into the Amazon in “Rio 2” where music beats faster and louder with the returning cast Jesse Eisenberg, Anne Hathaway, Oscar and Grammy winner Jamie Foxx, will.i.am, Jemaine Clement along new voice cast members - Oscar® nominee Andy Garcia, Grammy® winner Bruno Mars, Tony® winner Kristin Chenoweth and Oscar/Emmy®/Tony winner Rita Moreno. “Rio 2” also features new Brazilian artists and original music by Janelle Monae and Wondaland.

Helmed by Carlos Saldanha, Jewel convinces Blu to check out Linda and Tulio’s discovery that there might still be other Blue Macaws in the thick forest of the Amazon after seeing a single blue feather while trekking the forest.

We then catch up with Blu, Jewel and their three kids, all of whom have settled into life in Rio. They experience the comforts and conveniences of city dwelling. Blu remains as domesticated as ever, but Jewel is concerned that the children are becoming more like humans than birds, and that they may never know how to be birds.

When Jewel decides the kids need to learn to live like real birds, she insists the family venture to the Amazon. Blu tells his buddies of his travel plans, but Nico, Pedro and Luiz warn him of the myriad dangers that could lie ahead in the wild. But the ever-positive Rafael encourages Blu, reminding him that “a happy wife means a happy life!”

Anne Hathaway explains: “Jewel grew up in the jungle and the kids are being raised in Rio, so there’s definitely more of a human influence on them. They listen to music players, eat pancakes and watch TV. Jewel is not the biggest fan of that kind of domesticity.”

Blue and Jewel’s adventurous triplets are a jungle of a character themselves – Carla, Tiago and Bia. Singer/actress/comedian Rachel Crow voices the eldest of the triplets, Carla, a spunky teen who longs to get a little space from her protective family so she can express her musical side. Like her father Blu, Carla not so keen at first to go with her family into the wild but in an instant changed her mind when she learns that her cool uncles Nico and Pedro are joining the adventure. Eventually, Carla helps her Uncles put up the most musical and vibrant carnival show in the Amazon where she has also blossomed as a musical talent. Very much her father’s daughter, Bia (voiced by “The Hunger Games’” Amandla Stenberg) is as domesticated and lives with her beak in a book and likes spouting facts and figures like Blu. But when she gets to the Amazon, she is inspired by its awe and wonder. For once, she puts down her books and experiences the colorful life around her. Tiago, the youngest and only boy of the triplets is voiced by Pierce Gagnon, is always up for adventure, especially if it involves destroying something.

Upon their arrival at the heart of the Amazon, Blu and Jewel meet the locals, including Eduardo (Andy Garcia), a larger than life patriarch with a firm set of rules, who becomes a comedic obstacle for Blu; Mimi (Rita Moreno), Eduardo’s warm and sassy sister, who likes to speak her mind, even to her overbearing brother; and Roberto (singer-songwriter-record producer Bruno Mars), a perfect specimen of a wild bird who charms everyone around him and makes Blus elf-conscious. As Blu tries to fit in, he worries he may lose Jewel and the kids to the call of the wild.

Saldanha envisioned a mini-travelogue that would get the characters from Rio to the Amazon swiftly and show his beloved Brazil in a fun way. To mark the journey, the filmmakers devised an unfolding map and pop-up map, as well as some GPS imagery, all presented in a stylized way. As the sequence progresses, the scene weaves back and forth between the real world and the paper pop-up world. Finally arriving at their destination – the largest jungle in the world – the family takes in the marvels of the Amazon: massive trees of all types, the limitless flora and fauna, and giant rivers. It is a much bigger canvas, and thus more challenging to render than building the city of Rio in the first film.“We wanted to capture the vibe of the forest and its harmony, with nature and with animals,” comments Saldanha.

“Rio 2” (in 3D and 2D) opens nationwide on April 9 (Saturday) from 20^th Century Fox to be distributed by Warner Bros.

There’s something that Jewel (Anne Hathaway) did not talk about with Blu (Jesse Eisenberg) in the first “Rio” family adventure outing – that is her childhood friend named Roberto (Bruno Mars). In the upcoming adventure 3D movie “Rio 2,” Blu is suddenly pitted against Jewel’s childhood friend, Roberto who is the epitome of a Blue Macaw - a perfect specimen of a wild bird who charms everyone around him and makes Blu self-conscious.

Bruno Mars joins the vividly delightful and upbeat musical world of Blu and Jewel in “Rio 2” where director Carlos Saldanha brings the adventure into the wild thick forest of the Amazon. With the success of “Rio” the call for a sequel came quickly. Having already teased a new life together for Blu and Jewel – and their three new arrivals – in the film’s finale, Saldanha pitched his idea for a new story. What if Blu and his family aren’t the last Blue Macaws, he posited. What would happen to the family dynamic?

Saldanha decided to set his new story in the mammoth Brazilian wilderness. “I wanted a setting very different from the one we explored in ‘Rio,’ he explains. “I thought we should move away from the city.” So, in “Rio 2,” it’s on…in the Amazon, not only visually, but musically. “We wanted to look at different musical ‘flavors,’ sounds and exciting new beats that make the soundtrack for “Rio 2” even bigger than the first film’s,” says the director.

If meeting a critical father-in-law, Eduardo (Andy Garcia) weren’t enough, Blu must also contend with Jewel’s childhood friend Roberto, played by Bruno Mars. “Roberto is pretty much the opposite of Blu – all charm and suaveness – and he can sing like an angel,” says Hathaway. Eisenberg notes that, “Roberto and Jewel have a history and an almost secret language. So Blu feels not only threatened by Roberto, but is frustrated because Roberto seems like the perfect guy. Everything he does is heroic – and he’s a great singer!”

Roberto owes his vocal prowess to the music icon who voices him: Bruno Mars. The Grammy winner, who has sold over 115 million records worldwide and has a catalog of 22 Hot 100 hits as a singer, producer and songwriter, enjoyed his first foray into feature animation. “I like that Roberto has a good heart,” Mars explains. “He’s a genuine dude and he really has love for Jewel – genuine love. They grew up together, so they have a bond that’s pretty special.”

The filmmakers considered a long list of candidates for the role, but a Mars appearance on “Saturday Night Live” helped sealed the deal. “I saw a clip of Bruno acting on SNL, and I thought he was really funny,” Saldanha remembers. Producer John C. Donkin notes that casting Mars “transformed our thinking about the character. He added a unique quality we initially hadn’t envisioned for Roberto, which we came to embrace, and the character really blossomed.”

If Roberto’s looks, talent and friendship with Jewel weren’t intimidating enough for Blu, the songbird hosts the clan in his magnificent mansion, located in one of the Amazon’s most impressive trees. Interweaving roots create open pockets, perfect for rooms housing Blu and his family. As the family settles into this exciting new world, Blu finds his learning curve to be a steep one.

Bruno Mars lends his signature vocal stylings to the track “Welcome Back,” in which his character Roberto expresses his joy in reuniting with Jewel. The song was written by Bruno Mars, Philip Lawrence and John Powell, and produced by Bruno Mars and John Powell.

“Rio 2” (in 2D and 3D) will open April 9 (Saturday) nationwide in cinemas from 20^th Century Fox to be distributed by Warner Bros.

Fast-rising to be one of Hollywood’s leading men, Rodrigo Santoro, a Brazilian native reprises his role as Tulio in “Rio 2,” from the globally beloved hit “Rio” where he plays an eccentric scientist opposite Leslie Mann’s character, Linda who owns Blu.

Blu (voiced by Jesse Eisenberg) and Linda (Mann) as seen in the first movie are living a simple life together in Minnesota who are both homebodies – explaining the very domesticated rare Macaw, Blu. Upon Tulio’s arrival, their lives are turned upside down bringing news that Blu is not the last of his kind – taking them both to Rio to meet Jewel (Anne Hathaway). Their adventure brings them further into the Amazon in “Rio 2” where Tulio and Linda who are now married have caught a blue feather floating on air while exploring the deep part of the jungle. The newlyweds are exploring the Amazon, where they discover there may be more Blue Macaws, and set out to find them.

To fully realize the scope and breadth of this magical new world and its vivid characters, Saldanha brought together once again all-star voice cast, led by Oscar® nominees Anne Hathaway and Jesse Eisenberg, Oscar and Grammy®-winner Jamie Foxx, acclaimed musical artist will.i.am, actor-musician Jemaine Clement, comedic actress Leslie Mann, actor Rodrigo Santoro (a Brazilian native), actor-comedian George Lopez, and funnyman Tracy Morgan.

Now, filmmaker Saldanha returns to Brazil and reunites his beloved characters in “Rio 2.” In the new film, it’s a jungle out there for Blu, Jewel and their three kids, after they’re hurtled from Rio to the wilds of the Amazon. As Blu tries to fit in, he goes beak-to-beak with the vengeful and villainous Nigel, and meets the most fearsome adversary of all…his father-in-law.

Leslie Mann, who returns to voice Linda, describes the game-changing discovery: “From the sky, a little blue feather falls between Linda and Tulio. He tastes it and he realizes it’s a Blue Macaw feather. And they go off in search of more Blue Macaws.” Mann’s on-screen hubby, Rodrigo Santoro, who reprises the role of Tulio, notes that, “Linda and Tulio are still working hard to protect birds in Brazil. And they make a terrific couple because Tulio is a great thinker and Linda is a great ‘do-er.’”

Armed with the knowledge of Linda and Tulio’s finding, Jewel decides her family must pick up stakes and take a walk – make that flight – on the wild side. “In ‘Rio,’ we learned that Blu and Jewel were the last of their kind, but in the new film they learn they might not be –that there may be other Blue Macaws out there,” notes Hathaway. “So it becomes important to Jewel to find who’s out there in the Amazon. She’s thrilled there could be more like her and Blu.”

Rodrigo Santoro is one of Brazil's most talented and famous actors and started his career playing parts in RedeGlobo’s plays and went on to play parts in many of Globo’s telenovelas, such as “Olho no Olho,” “PátriaMinha,” “Explode Coração,” “O Amor Está no Ar,” “Suave Veneno” and “Mulheres Apaixonadas.” In 1998, he starred in the Brazilian miniseries “Hilda Furacão,” playing the role of a priest. Since then, Rodrigo has won a total of eight Best Actor awards, along with ten nominations. He has done a variety of work, starring in the popular Chanel No. 5 campaign with Nicole Kidman and voicing the title character in “Stuart Little” and its sequel in the Brazilian dubbed copies.

Rodrigo starred in “300,” playing Xerxes opposite Gerard Butler. The film, which was based on the Frank Miller's graphic novel of the same name, broke box office records throughout the world becoming the first Brazilian actor to be nominated for an MTV Movie Award®. He went on to roles in “The Last Stand,” with Arnold Schwarzenegger; the comedy “What to Expect When You’re Expecting”; and the upcoming films “Focus” and “300: Rise of an Empire,” in which he reprises his “300” role of Xerxes.

Rodrigo’s first American film was Sony’s “Charlie’s Angels: Full Throttle,” in which he starred as Randy Emmers. He’s also starred in Universal’s hit romantic comedy “Love Actually,” David Mamet’s “Redbelt,” Fox Searchlight’s “Post Grad,” and “I Love You Phillip Morris.” Rodrigo starred in “Behind the Sun,” which was nominated for Best Foreign Film at the 2002 Golden Globe Awards. He later starred in both Steven Soderbergh’s “Che” and Pablo Trapero’s “Lion’s Den,” both of which earned multiple nominations at the 2008 Cannes Film Festival.

A Twentieth Century Fox released Fox Animation and Blue Sky Studio’s CG animated feature, “Rio 2” opens April 9 in theaters nationwide in the Phils.