Open Road Films has released the first trailer forThe Nut Job 2, which is set for release on August 18. Thisanimated sequelbrings back Surly Squirrel, voiced byWill Arnett, alongside his animal friends Andie (Katherine Heigl), Precious (Maya Rudolph) and Buddy (Tom Kenny) as they fight to save their homeland. There will also be a number of new characters who join the fight in this follow-up to the 2014 surprise hitThe Nut Job.
Surly Squirrel (Will Arnett) and the gang are back. We are once again in Oakton where the evil mayor (Bobby Moynihan) has decided to bulldoze Liberty Park and build a dangerous amusement park in its place. Surly and his ragtag group of animal friends band together to save their home, defeat the mayor, and take back the park. It’s up to them and the rest of the park animals to stop the mayor, along with his daughter and a mad animal control officer from getting away with his scheme.Open Road Filmswill now release the sequel in theaters August 18, going up against Lionsgate’sThe Hitman’s Bodyguard, but it was originally slated to debut much earlier.
The originalNut Job moviewas an early surprise hit in January 2014, earning $64.2 million domestic and $120 million worldwide from just a $42 million budget, while opening alongside another surprise hit,Ride Along. Open Road Films wasted little time in getting a sequel together, initially announcing a July 14, 2025 release date, which would have, ironically, put it up againstRide Along 2. Last April, Open Road Films pushed the sequel to July 07, 2025, but that date didn’t stick for too long, especially after 20th Century Fox pushedAlien: Covenantfrom August 4 to May 19. Last month, the studio pushedThe Nut Job 2to its current date of August 18.
The supporting voice cast includes returning characters such asGabriel Iglesiasas the groundhog Jimmy andJeff Dunhamas a mole simply named Mole. New voice cast members includeJackie Chanas Mr. Feng, the leader of a terrifying street mouse gang,Isabela Moner, who will first be seen inTransformers: The Last Knight, as Heather, the spoiled daughter of the Oaktown mayor,Bobby Cannavaleas Frankie, the mayor’s French bulldog andPeter Stormareas Gunther.Sebastian ManiscalcoandKari Wahlgrenalso voice Jimmy’s groundhog siblings Johnny and Jamie, respectively, who were originally voiced byJoe PingueandAnnick Obonsawinin the first movie.
Cal BrunkerdirectsThe Nut Job 2from a script he co-wrote withBob BarlenandScott Bindley, based on characters created byPeter Lepeniotis.Cal Brunkermade his feature directorial debut with 2013’sEscape From Planet Earth, but he previously cut his teeth as a storyboard artist on9,Despicable Me,Ice Age: Continental Drift,Minions,Ratchet & Clankand last year’sanimated blockbuster,The Secret Life of Pets. Take a look at the first footage fromThe Nut Job 2: Nutty by Nature, which could be one of this summer’s biggest animated hits.
