Three years have passed since audiences last saw Tibby (Amber Tamblyn), Carmen (America Ferrera), Bridget (Blake Lively) and Lena (Alexis Bledel) in the original “Sisterhood of the Traveling Pants.” They were 16 then, best friends, and just beginning to realize the possibilities that lay beyond the neighborhood where they all grew up. That summer marked their first brief separation.
To help them keep in touch back then, they relied upon a unique messenger: a pair of vintage jeans, found in a thrift shop, that miraculously fit each of them perfectly and even seemed to bring them luck. They made a pact to mail the pants to one another throughout the summer months, with notes enclosed from each wearer to the next about everything that had happened during the time the pants were in her possession.
But things are different now. The issues they face now are more adult and the pace of life is faster, in Warner Bros.’ new moving drama, “Sisterhood of the Traveling Pants 2,” based on Ann Brashares’ best-selling series of novels.
Producer Denise Di Novi, who was also a producer on the original film, says, “The story picks up after the girls’ first year of college. They have matured; their concerns and relationships are more complicated. We can see how their friendship has changed as they themselves are changing.”
“It’s a classic coming-of-age story, but these are modern 21st-century young women,” says director Sanaa Hamri. “One of the things I like about the story is how authentic it is and age-appropriate. It’s a time of fun and freedom and trying new things, but also a time when we all begin to deal seriously with relationships, self-discovery and confidence. There are often no easy answers to the fundamental questions about who we are and what we want.”
It’s also a time for learning how to stand up for yourself and what you believe in, as the girls will discover. Unexpected events can uncover painful truths or lead in exciting new directions. Strengths and talents emerge. And love—in its myriad forms—is everywhere.
Says Hamri, “Our goal was to satisfy the fans of the original movie and the books and, at the same time, create a self-contained saga for an audience that may not have seen ‘The Sisterhood of the Traveling Pants’ or know the books. That really is the job of a sequel. I knew we had a tough act to follow. But I also knew that these characters had been so well-developed and presented with such honesty that it was clear to see they had a future.”
“They really have a life of their own,” says producer Kira Davis. “After the first movie, I believe we felt that these characters deserved to live on and, as filmmakers, we approached the sequel with as much anticipation as fans. We wanted to see what these women were going to do next.”
Opening soon across the Philippines, “The Sisterhood of the Traveling Pants 2” will be released worldwide by Warner Bros. Pictures, a Warner Bros. Entertainment Company.