Alvin and the Chipmunks: The Squeakquel

Two years after the events of the first film, Dave Seville is injured when a cardboard cutout of Alvin sends him flying across the stage during a charity benefit concert in Paris. While he recovers in a French hospital, Dave asks his aunt, Jackie, to look after the Chipmunks, Alvin, Simon, and Theodore. Arrangements are also made for them to attend West Eastman High School. After Jackie falls down the staircase in her wheelchair and has to be also hospitalized, the Chipmunks are left in the care of Toby, Jackie's grandson and Dave's cousin. Ex-JETT Records chief executive Ian Hawke, who is broke and destitute after losing the Chipmunks, lives in the company's basement. Three singing female chipmunks, Brittany, Jeanette, and Eleanor (the Chipettes), emerge from a FedEx package. Ian recruits them to resurrect his career.

While at school, two jocks bully the Chipmunks. The group is summoned to the principal's office after attacking and defeating the jocks. The principal, Dr. Rubin, a fan who saw them in Denver, enlists their help to raise money for the school's music program by participating in a contest. A shocked Ian finds that the Chipmunks will represent the school; he also enrolls the Chipettes there.

When the Chipmunks meet the Chipettes, both groups are smitten with each other, but the girls recall that Ian said they are untrustworthy, and the boys struggle to make it through a rehearsal because of their new crushes. Ian smugly walks in and introduces his new stars, the Chipettes, shocking the Chipmunks to see them working with him. A rivalry emerges when Ian convinces Dr. Rubin to let the Chipettes compete in the competition, and set up a concert for the two groups to compete to represent the school. Alvin becomes popular with the jocks and joins the football team, inadvertently missing the concert. At the concert, Theodore and Simon withdraw, so the Chipettes win by default. Arriving to an empty auditorium, Alvin is called out by Brittany for his lack of responsibility. Alvin returns home and unsuccessfully tries apologizing to his brothers. Theodore runs away to the Los Angeles Zoo the next day to live with a meerkat family, but finds a wedge-tailed eagle living in their exhibit. Alvin and Simon save him from the eagle, and the three reconcile.

The Chipettes learn that they are to perform as an opening act for a Britney Spears concert on the same night as the school contest. Ian convinces them to call off the battle and perform at the concert but refuses to give the same credit to Jeanette and Eleanor that he gives Brittany, who demands that they all perform together or not at all. Ian threatens to send them to a barbecue restaurant unless they perform.

Before the school contest, Alvin receives a distressed phone call from the Chipettes, who inform him that Ian has locked them in a cage. He goes on to rescue them on his toy motorcycle while Simon tells Jeanette how to pick the lock over the phone. Simon and Theodore are on the verge of performing by themselves until the others arrive in the toy helicopter that Ian uses to chase them. The Chipmunks and the Chipettes perform together for the first time and win the money for the music program. Dave, who had left the hospital upon learning that Toby was looking after the Chipmunks, returns during the contest, happy to see the Chipmunks again, and allows the Chipettes to stay with them.

{{multiple image

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| footer = ({{abbr|L|Left}} to {{abbr|R|right}}) Jason Lee (pictured in 2015), David Cross (2009), and Zachary Levi (2009)

| image1 = Jason lee cropped lighting corrected.jpg

| image2 = 9.13.09DavidCrossByLuigiNovi.jpg

| image3 = ZacharyLeviCCJuly09.jpg

}}

• Justin Long as Alvin Seville (speaking voice)
• Ross Bagdasarian Jr. as Alvin Seville (singing voice)
• Christina Applegate as Brittany (speaking voice)
• Janice Karman as Brittany (singing voice)
• Matthew Gray Gubler as Simon Seville (speaking voice)
• Steve Vining as Simon Seville (singing voice)
• Anna Faris as Jeanette (speaking voice)
• Janice Karman as Jeanette (singing voice)
• Jesse McCartney as Theodore Seville (speaking voice)
• Janice Karman as Theodore Seville (singing voice)
• Amy Poehler as Eleanor (speaking voice)
• Janice Karman as Eleanor (singing voice)
• Zachary Levi as Toby Seville
• David Cross as Ian Hawke
• Jason Lee as David "Dave" Seville
• Wendie Malick as Dr. Rubin
• Anjelah Johnson as Julie Ortega
• Kathryn Joosten as Aunt Jackie Seville
• Kevin G. Schmidt as Ryan Edwards
• Chris Warren Jr. as Xander
• Bridgit Mendler as Becca Kingston
• Alexandra Shipp as Valentina
• Aimee Carrero as Emily
• Brando Eaton as Jeremy Smith
• Jake Zyrus as himself{{efn|Credited under Charice Pempengco as herself}}
• Honor Society as themselves
• Quest Crew as Li'l Rosero Dancers
• Eric Bauza as Digger (voice)
• Sean Astin as Meerkat Manor Narrator (voice)

During the pre-production of Alvin and the Chipmunks: The Squeakquel in 2009, most of Dave's scenes were rewritten, with much of Lee's role being replaced with Levi’s role, Toby Seville. The visual effects and animation for the chipmunks were produced by Los Angeles-based Rhythm & Hues Studios (R&H). David Newman composed the film's musical score, (best known he composed the fanfare of 20th Century Fox, which was debut in Anastasia), replacing Christopher Lennertz.{{citation needed|date=September 2024}}

In one scene, Ian interacts with a rat in a basement, culminating in the rat stealing a muffin before leaving. The scene was carefully staged in a controlled environment. The rat, guided by trainers, followed specific cues to stay on its mark, take the muffin (a prop), and exit the scene. A prop radio was used during the sequence, ensuring the rat's safety. An additional scene involving costumed rats, monitored by American Humane, was excluded from the theatrical release.

Several dog scenes were filmed under controlled conditions with trainers overseeing the animals' actions.

A dog barks at and topples a fake TV prop inside a constructed igloo set. Trainers used cues and a lightweight prop rigged with a string to safely execute the sequence. In an elevator scene, a Chihuahua briefly interacts with actors exiting an elevator. Trainers handed the leashed dog to the actors right before filming. The actors and dog had been well-rehearsed for the action and the dog was unfazed by either the mild noise the elevator made or the actor walking by with stuffed chipmunks on his shoulder (which were changed to CGI chipmunks in post-production). Trainers then cued the dog to "stare".

A cat hisses and swats while appearing to react to a character's presence. This scene was filmed separately from the actor. Trainers used safety measures, including a waist tie and bait stick, to guide the cat’s movements.

An eagle appears in a scene interacting with the chipmunks. Filming took place under strict safety protocols, with the bird equipped with a monofilament line and guided by trainers. The eagle's actions, including flying and hopping, were directed using food rewards and bait sticks. The scene where a chipmunk seemingly kicks the eagle was created entirely with CGI.{{cite web|url=https://humanehollywood.org/production/alvin-and-the-chipmunks-the-squeakquel/#:~:text=Later%2C%20when%20the%20eagle%20was,the%20Meerkat%20Manor%20TV%20show.|access-date=18 November 2024 |title=Alvin and the Chipmunks: The Squeakquel }}

On its opening Wednesday, the film opened to #1 with $18.8 million and finished the weekend at #3 behind Fox's own Avatar and Warner Bros' Sherlock Holmes{{cite web|url=https://boxofficemojo.com/weekend/chart/?yr=2009&wknd=52&p=.htm|title=Weekend Box Office Results for December 25–27, 2009 | website=Box Office Mojo | access-date=August 9, 2010| archive-url= https://web.archive.org/web/20100717054812/http://boxofficemojo.com/weekend/chart/?yr=2009&wknd=52&p=.htm| archive-date= July 17, 2010 | url-status= live}} with $48.9 million and a $75.6 million 5-day total, eclipsing its budget in only 5 days. In the US, it was the 9th highest-grossing film of 2009, and on March 7, 2010, it out-grossed its predecessor to become the second highest-grossing film to never hit #1 behind My Big Fat Greek Wedding.{{cite web|url=https://boxofficemojo.com/alltime/domestic/never1.htm |title=Top Grossing Movies That Never Hit #1 at the Box Office |website=Box Office Mojo |access-date=August 9, 2010 |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20100804015422/http://www.boxofficemojo.com/alltime/domestic/never1.htm |archive-date=August 4, 2010 |url-status=live }} The Squeakquel ended its run with $219.6 million in the US and $223.5 million overseas for a total of $443.1 million worldwide.{{cite web | url=https://boxofficemojo.com/movies/?id=alvinandthechipmunksii.htm | title=Alvin and the Chipmunks: The Squeakquel Box Office | work=Box Office Mojo | publisher=Internet Movie Database |access-date=June 1, 2010| archive-url= https://web.archive.org/web/20100605161848/http://boxofficemojo.com/movies/?id=alvinandthechipmunksii.htm| archive-date= June 5, 2010 | url-status= live}}{{cite web|url=https://www.latimes.com/business/la-fi-ct-boxoffice28-2009dec28,0,1741915.story |title=Holiday box-office take is highest in recent history |last=Fritz |first=Ben |work=Los Angeles Times |date=December 28, 2009 |access-date=January 3, 2010 |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20100101144231/http://www.latimes.com/business/la-fi-ct-boxoffice28-2009dec28%2C0%2C1741915.story |archive-date=January 1, 2010 |url-status=live }}

{{Anchor|Critics}}

{{RT prose|{{RT data|score}}|{{RT data|average}}|{{RT data|count}}|This Squeakquel may entertain the kiddies, but it's low on energy and heavily reliant on slapstick humor.}}{{cite web |url= https://www.rottentomatoes.com/m/10009926-alvin_and_the_chipmunks_2/ | title= Alvin and the Chipmunks: The Squeakquel (2009) |publisher= Fandango | work= Rotten Tomatoes |access-date= April 24, 2020 }} {{Metacritic film prose|41|20}} This made it the highest-rated live-action animated Chipmunks film on Metacritic.{{cite web |url= https://www.metacritic.com/film/titles/alvinandthechipmunks2 |title=Alvin and the Chipmunks: The Squeakquel|website= Metacritic |access-date=January 5, 2010| archive-url= https://web.archive.org/web/20091221004650/http://www.metacritic.com/film/titles/alvinandthechipmunks2| archive-date= December 21, 2009 | url-status= live}} Audiences polled by CinemaScore gave the film an average grade of "A" on an A+ to F scale.{{cite web |title=Christmas gift for Hollywood: Biggest weekend in box office history |url=https://latimesblogs.latimes.com/entertainmentnewsbuzz/2009/12/biggest-weekend-in-box-office-history.html |website=Los Angeles Times |date=December 27, 2009 |quote=according to market research firm CinemaScore, while "Alvin" got an A.}}{{cite web |url= https://www.cinemascore.com/publicsearch/index/title/ |title= ALVIN AND THE CHIPMUNKS: THE SQUEAKQUEL (2009) A |work= CinemaScore |url-status= dead |archive-url= https://web.archive.org/web/20181220122629/https://www.cinemascore.com/publicsearch/index/title/ |archive-date= December 20, 2018 }}

Owen Gleiberman of Entertainment Weekly graded the film a C-,{{cite magazine|url=https://www.ew.com/ew/article/0,,20332755,00.html |title=Alvin and the Chipmunks: The Squeakquel Movie Review |last=Gleiberman |first=Owen |magazine=Entertainment Weekly |date=December 24, 2009 |access-date=December 24, 2009 |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20100115063141/http://www.ew.com/ew/article/0%2C%2C20332755%2C00.html |archive-date=January 15, 2010 |url-status=dead }} asking, "Will kids eat up this cutely fractious claptrap? Of course they will. They'll eat up whatever you put in front of them. But that doesn't make The Squeakquel good for them." Sue Robinson from Radio Times said that "even if there's little here for older viewers to enjoy, youngsters will love the slapstick action and catchy soundtrack."{{cite web|url=http://www.radiotimes.com/servlet_film/com.icl.beeb.rtfilms.client.simpleSearchServlet?searchTypeSelect=5&frn=49201 |archive-url=https://archive.today/20100117232926/http://www.radiotimes.com/servlet_film/com.icl.beeb.rtfilms.client.simpleSearchServlet?searchTypeSelect=5&frn=49201 |url-status=dead |archive-date=January 17, 2010 |title=Alvin and the Chipmunks: The Squeakquel |last=Robinson |first=Sue |work=RadioTimes |date=December 24, 2009 |access-date=December 24, 2009 }}

Joe Leydon, writing for Variety, called it "a frenetic but undeniably funny follow-up that offers twice the number of singing-and-dancing rodents in another seamless blend of CGI and live-action elements."{{cite magazine |url=https://www.variety.com/review/VE1117941806 |title=Alvin and the Chipmunks: The Squeakquel Review |last=Leydon |first=Joe |magazine=Variety |access-date=December 24, 2009 |date=December 20, 2009 |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20091225150146/http://www.variety.com/review/VE1117941806.html |archive-date=December 25, 2009 |url-status=live }} Betsy Sharkey of the Los Angeles Times commented on Betty Thomas' direction, saying that she brings "a light campy touch as she did in 1995's The Brady Bunch Movie."{{cite web | url= https://www.latimes.com/archives/la-xpm-2009-dec-23-la-et-squeakquel23-2009dec23-story.html | title = Bright-eyed, Bushy-tailed|publisher= Alvin and the Chipmunks: The Squeakquel movie review, Los Angeles Times |last =Sharkey | first = Betsy | access-date=December 13, 2011 | date=December 23, 2009}}

After the film had garnered $112 million worldwide at the box office over its first weekend, some critics were disappointed that it was more popular than other movies in wide release aimed at a family audience.{{cite web

| date = December 28, 2009

| author = Ryan Michael Painter

| title = Weekend Box Office Reaction

| url = http://www.inthisweek.com/view.php?id=2012967

| url-status = dead

| archive-url = https://web.archive.org/web/20110716031155/http://www.inthisweek.com/view.php?id=2012967

| archive-date = July 16, 2011

}}{{cite web

| date = December 27, 2009

| author = Scott Mendelson

| title = HuffPost Weekend Box Office in Review: Avatar Dominates Record-Breaking Weekend

| url = https://www.huffingtonpost.com/scott-mendelson/avatar-dominates-record-b_b_404452.html

| work = Huffington Post

| access-date = January 24, 2010

| archive-url= https://web.archive.org/web/20091230142453/http://www.huffingtonpost.com/scott-mendelson/avatar-dominates-record-b_b_404452.html

| archive-date= December 30, 2009 | url-status= live

}}

Richard Corliss of Time wrote that families "could have taken the cherubs to The Princess and the Frog or Disney's A Christmas Carol, worthy efforts that, together, took in only about a fifth of the Chipmunks' revenue in the same period".{{cite magazine|last=Corliss|first=Richard|date=December 30, 2009|title=Alvin 2: The Unspeakable Squeakquel|url=http://www.time.com/time/arts/article/0,8599,1950527,00.html|archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20100102052619/http://www.time.com/time/arts/article/0,8599,1950527,00.html|url-status=dead|archive-date=January 2, 2010|magazine=Time|access-date=August 9, 2010}}

{{Anchor|Awards|Accolades}}

At the 2010 Kids' Choice Awards, Alvin and the Chipmunks: The Squeakquel won Favorite Movie.{{Cite web |date=March 29, 2010 |title=In Full: Kids' Choice 2010 - Winners |url=https://www.digitalspy.com/showbiz/a211226/in-full-kids-choice-2010-winners/ |url-status=live |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20221004022853/https://www.digitalspy.com/showbiz/a211226/in-full-kids-choice-2010-winners/ |archive-date=October 4, 2022 |access-date=January 15, 2023 |website=Digital Spy}} The film was one of the nominees for the "Family" category at the 2010 National Movie Awards, losing to Harry Potter and the Half-Blood Prince (2009).{{Cite web |last=Reynolds |first=Simon |date=April 19, 2010 |title=ITV to screen National Movie Awards 2010 |url=https://www.digitalspy.com/movies/a215303/itv-to-screen-national-movie-awards-2010/ |url-status=live |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20200630172703/https://www.digitalspy.com/movies/a215303/itv-to-screen-national-movie-awards-2010/ |archive-date=June 30, 2020 |access-date=January 15, 2023 |website=Digital Spy}}{{Cite web |date=May 27, 2010 |title=Twilight saga dominates UK National Movie Awards |url=https://www.irishexaminer.com/lifestyle/arid-30459304.html |url-status=live |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20221224214131/https://www.irishexaminer.com/lifestyle/arid-30459304.html |archive-date=December 24, 2022 |access-date=January 15, 2023 |website=Irish Examiner}} Music supervisor Julianne Jordan won the Guild of Music Supervisors Award for Best Music Supervision for a Film in 2011.{{cite web|url=https://tadpoleaudio.com/2011/02/music-in-media-the-guild-of-music-supervisors-first-awards-brunch/|title=Music in Media / Guild of Music Supervisors Holds First Awards Brunch|date=February 17, 2011|first=Amanda Krieg|last=Thomas|website=Tadpole Audio|archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20210602165839/https://tadpoleaudio.com/2011/02/music-in-media-the-guild-of-music-supervisors-first-awards-brunch/|archive-date=June 2, 2021|url-status=live|access-date=January 15, 2023}}{{efn|Also for Valentine's Day (2010), Red (2010), Fair Game (2010), Cats & Dogs: The Revenge of Kitty Galore (2010), and The Bounty Hunter (2010)}} At the 2010 British Academy Children's Awards, The Squeakquel won Kid's Vote — Film.{{Cite web |title=Children's in 2010 |url=http://awards.bafta.org/award/2010/childrens |url-status=live |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20130420191119/http://awards.bafta.org/award/2010/childrens |archive-date=April 20, 2013 |access-date=January 21, 2023 |publisher=British Academy of Film and Television Arts}}

{{Further|Alvin and the Chipmunks: The Squeakquel (soundtrack)}}

Alvin and the Chipmunks: The Squeakquel: Original Motion Picture Soundtrack is the soundtrack based on the film. It was released on December 1, 2009. Bands Honor Society and Queensberry, along with Filipino singer Charice, were all featured artists for both the movie and soundtrack.{{Cite web |last=Carpenter |first=Susan |date=2009-12-23 |title='Alvin and the Chipmunks: The Squeakquel' soundtrack scores |url=https://www.latimes.com/archives/la-xpm-2009-dec-23-la-et-chipmunks23-2009dec23-story.html |url-status=live |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20220415023418/https://www.latimes.com/archives/la-xpm-2009-dec-23-la-et-chipmunks23-2009dec23-story.html |archive-date=2022-04-15 |access-date=2024-06-11 |website=Los Angeles Times |language=en-US}}

File:Stagecoach Manchester bus 19014 (MX06 XAO), 27 December 2009.jpg]]

{{Infobox video game

| title = Alvin and the Chipmunks:
The Squeakquel

| state =

| image = Alvin and the Chipmunks The Squeakquel Cover.jpg

| caption =

| developer = ImaginEngine

| publisher = Majesco Entertainment

| designer = Rohit Chokhani
Michael Gesner

| series = Alvin and The Chipmunks

| engine =

| released ={{vgrelease|NA|December 1, 2009}}

| genre = Rhythm

| modes = Single-player, multiplayer

| platforms = Nintendo DS, Wii

}}

Alvin and the Chipmunks: The Squeakquel is a video game based on the film. It was released on December 1, 2009 (the same day as the movie's soundtrack) for the Wii and Nintendo DS.{{cite web|url=https://www.metacritic.com/game/alvin-and-the-chipmunks-the-squeakquel/ |title=Alvin and the Chipmunks: The Squeakquel Reviews - Metacritic|website=Metacritic |date=2024|access-date=27 September 2024}}

Alvin and the Chipmunks: The Squeakquel was released on Blu-ray/DVD/Digital copy on March 30, 2010.{{cite web|url=https://www.pluggedin.com/movie-reviews/alvinandthechipmunksthesqueakquel/ |title=Alvin and the Chipmunks: The Squeakquel - Plugged In|access-date=27 September 2024|date=2024}}

{{Main|Alvin and the Chipmunks in film#Live-action/animated films}}

Shortly after the film's release on DVD and Blu-ray, Fox and Regency had announced that Alvin and the Chipmunks 3D was scheduled to be released on December 16, 2011.{{cite web | url= http://www2.comingsoon.net/news/movienews.php?id=64074 | title= The Chipmunks are Coming in 3D, Wall Street Bumped | publisher= ComingSoon.net | access-date= March 10, 2010 | url-status= dead | archive-url= https://web.archive.org/web/20120415013635/http://www.comingsoon.net/news/movienews.php?id=64074 | archive-date= April 15, 2012 }} The title was then changed to Alvin and the Chipmunks: Chipwrecked.{{cite web|url=https://boxofficemojo.com/movies/?id=alvin3d.htm |title=Alvin and the Chipmunks: Chipwrecked at Box Office Mojo |publisher=Boxofficemojo.com |date=December 16, 2011 |access-date=December 27, 2011}} On January 22, 2011, Fox 2000 Pictures started production on the film during a Caribbean cruise on the Carnival Dream ship. Filming took place primarily on the ship's upper, open decks with scenes featuring actor Jason Lee (reprising his role) and the antics of The Chipmunks in the Carnival Dream's outdoor recreation areas. Stops on the itinerary included Cozumel, Roatan, Belize, and Costa Maya (which provided tropical backdrops for many of the film's shipboard scenes).{{cite news|url=http://www.travelagentcentral.com/cruises/new-alvin-and-chipmunks-movie-filmed-carnival-dream-26716|title=Alvin and the Chipmunks Movie Filmed on Caribbean Cruise|date=February 2, 2011|newspaper=Travel Agent Central|url-status=live|archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20111003032410/http://www.travelagentcentral.com/cruises/new-alvin-and-chipmunks-movie-filmed-carnival-dream-26716|archive-date=October 3, 2011|access-date=December 27, 2011}} A fourth film, Alvin and the Chipmunks: The Road Chip, was released on December 18, 2015.{{cite web|last=Kit|first=Borys|title='Alvin and the Chipmunks 4' Finds a Director (Exclusive)|url=https://www.hollywoodreporter.com/news/alvin-chipmunks-4-finds-a-758855|work=The Hollywood Reporter|access-date=December 18, 2014|date=December 18, 2014}}

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