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'Pitch Perfect 2's' Elizabeth Banks talks Bella underdogs and aca-Packers

The Barden Bellas are back in 'Pitch Perfect 2,' but the champs will have to fall down before they can rise to the top again.
/ Source: TODAY

They're back! Or they will be in a few days. The Barden Bellas are returning to the big screen in "Pitch Perfect 2," and on Monday morning, producer, director and star Elizabeth Banks teased what's to come on TODAY.

Following the success of the first film — which ended with a big success for the Bellas — the challenge for the second film was to find a reason to cheer the national champs on.

"We really wanted to showcase them as a group this time," Banks said. "But we also love an underdog story. So, we wanted to make them underdogs again. They're a wonderful group of misfits, and we really wanted to highlight that."

So — spoiler alert! — the new movie opens with a "national disgrace" (courtesy of Rebel Wilson's character, Fat Amy) that, according to Banks, will "take them down a peg."

Elizabeth Banks
Elizabeth Banks on the TODAY show promoting \"Pitch Perfect 2\" on May 4, 2015.TODAY

Of course, the Bellas will have some stiff competition when it comes to showcasing their a cappella chops in "Pitch Perfect 2." Banks herself will belt out a tune, and then there's the most unexpected singers of all — several members of the Green Bay Packers. Aca-really.

As it turns out, Packer offensive tackle David Bakhtiari was a big fan of the original "Pitch," and he wasn't shy about letting everyone know.

"It was in his rookie season that the movie came out, and he was basically tweeting about it," Banks explained. "So I followed him on Twitter and he immediately [sent a private message] that they would love to be in the film."

And so they are!

See more from the aca-Packers, Barden Bellas and Banks when "Pitch Perfect 2" hits theaters May 15.

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