Blu And Jewell Go In Search Of Roots In 'Rio 2' [Trailer + Pictures]

Those Blue Macaws are back, and this time they’ve got parrot sprogs to account for. But the bustling streets of Rio isn’t a great place to bring up kids – all three of them, played by Rachel Crow, Pierce Gagnon and Amandla Stenberg – and besides, Jewel thinks it’s about time to discover her roots.

"Well, this year's off to a great start," says Blu as he accidentally straps one of his young kids to a firework on New Year's Eve

The trailer, which comes from prominent developers Blue Sky Studios - the guys who brought us Ice Age - features all the high-jinkery we expect. It's got all the ingredients for an all-our animation kids' (and adults) classic.

The original Rio, brought to life by Carlos Saldanha, who returns to direct the sequel, brought in a hefty worldwide total of over $400m back in 2011. That’s not far off the $540-odd million that Despicable Me brought in a year earlier.

It’s not inconceivable that Rio 2 could have the same kind of effect – capitalising on an already established fan base – that Despicable Me 2 has earlier on this year ($863m worldwide).

Leslie Mann, Jemaine Clement, Jamie Foxx, George Lopez, will.i.am, Rodrigo Santoro, Tracy Morgan, Bebel Gilberto, Jake T. Austin, Andy Garcia, Bruno Mars, Kristin Chenoweth, Rita Moreno, Amanda Stenberg, Rachel Crow, Janelle Monáe, Pierce Gagnon, and Natalie Morales all star in "Rio 2," which is slated for an April 11, 2014, release.