Best Friends Reunion

Best Friends Reunion is a 2018 American comedy-drama film. It is the second film adaptation of the Disney television series, Best Friends Forever (2006-2011), preceded by Best Friends Forever: The Movie (2010), and will be the first theatrical film based on the Disney Channel original series since Austin & Ally: The Movie in 2014.

The film was theatrically released on March 30, 2018, with the main cast, with the exception of Dylan Patton, reprising their roles. Chandler Massey replaced Patton as the role as Zack Foster. Best Friends Reunion also cast YouTubers -Colleen Ballinger, Glozell, Joey Graceffa, Tyler Oakley, Lilly Singh and Lisa Koshy - to appear in the film as stars of the Sasha's YouTube Red Show including guess star actress Emma Watson. The film received mixed reviews and grossed $50 million worldwide at the box office.

Plot
Seven years has passed since they departure after graduating from high school and off to college. Nick and Sasha both went to the same college together, while Zack, Cassie, Amy and Chris all went to the same college together, but separated from Nick and Sasha. Nick and Sasha have graduated from college, as well as Zack, Cassie, Amy and Chris, and all have lived their lives after college. Nick and Sasha are married, as Amy and Chris are also married, but Zack just proposed to Cassie.

Sasha returns to her musical career alongside Rebecca and Crystal, after their hiatus and she is now doing YouTube, where it gains successful views. Nick got his dream becoming a basketball legend, Zack got his dream as an actor/dancer/singer. Cassie, is now living as a wealthy live. With Amy and Chris now married, they both are living together as Amy now known as a famous fashion designer and Chris as a musician.

Sasha is also now a YouTube sensation, who makes more than 1 billion views on her channel. Despite the success, Sasha got a call from YouTube and wanted to have her own web series for YouTube Red and invites all of her friends to anticipate into her show where it will be taking place in Las Vegas where they met YouTubers; Colleen Ballinger, Glozell, Joey Graceffa, Liza Koshy, Tyler Oakley and Lilly Singh. There went wrong as everyone seems to be taking things too seriously, which is affecting their friendship.

Nick doesn't feel comfortable despite the fact that the press is invading him and Sasha's privacy. Cassie feels overshadowed when Zack's dancing skills impresses other girls, making her feel betrayed. She intendeds to flirt with other men to make him jealous, which went extremely wrong. Amy runs into her ex-boyfriend Bradley. As they decided to go out for dinner, they kissed, but feels guilty and decides to leave him. As she intends to not tell Chris what happen, she can't help but feels guilty on telling him what really happen. As she call him and told him, he sounded silent and hangs up on her.

Sasha hangs out with Cassie and Amy and discussed their situation. As Nick and Zack arrives, and later Chris, who told Amy that he is seeing someone else. They all got into a huge argument and they went to their separated ways. At the casino, Sasha sits alone where Cassie quickly made up, where Joey met up with them talking to them about their tough situation saying that friends should not fight and never quit friendship. Nick and Zack also made up as well, and Zack feels bad on treating Cassie like garbage. Colleen met up with them and advice Nick and Zack to not take things to seriously.

Amy is planning on divorcing Chris. But he realizes that he went too far on betraying Amy the way she told him that she kissed Bradley. As he quickly ran to the hotel room, Amy is gone. Amy is heading to the airport to catch a plane back to L.A., but Chris ran after her and kissed her. The two resumed their relationship and cancel the divorce papers. After finishing up the whole season of Sasha's show on YouTube Red, Zack and Cassie decides to have a wedding in Las Vegas, which Sasha and Amy set it all up for them. Afterwards, they throws a wrap party for all of her friends and YouTubers.

Cast

 * Josh Hutcherson as Nick David, a basketball legend, and Sasha's husband and Chris and Zack's best friend.
 * Keke Palmer as Sasha David, a singer/actress and now YouTube sensation, Nick's wife and Zack, Chris, Cassie and Amy's good friend.
 * Chandler Massey as Zack Foster, an award winning singer/dancer/actor, Cassie's fiance, and a very good friend of Nick, Chris, Sasha and Amy.
 * Dakota Fanning as Cassie Hilliard, a wealthy young woman, Zack's fiance, a friend of Nick, Chris and Sasha and Amy's best friend.
 * Alyson Stoner as Amy Taylor, a famous fashion designer, Chris' wife, a friend of Nick, Sasha and Zack and Cassie's best friend.
 * Jason Dolley as Chris Taylor, a musician, Amy's husband, and a good friend of Nick, Sasha, Zack and Cassie.
 * Shanica Knowles as Rebecca Adams, one of Sasha's childhood friend and member of The Sasha Sisters.
 * Paige Hurd as Crystal Jones, one of Sasha's other childhood friend and member of The Sasha Sisters.
 * Taylor Lauther as Ben Brown, Maria's husband.
 * Bambi Monroe as Maria Anderson, Ben's wife, still enemy of Amy and Cassie.
 * Colleen Ballinger as Herself, a famous female YouTuber. Ballinger also plays as her alter ego Miranda Sings.
 * GloZell as Herself, a famous female YouTuber.
 * Joey Graceffa as Himself, a famous male YouTuber.
 * Daniel Preda as Himself, Joey Graceffa's love interest.
 * Tyler Oakley as Himself, a famous male YouTuber.
 * Lisa Koshy as Herself, a famous female YouTuber.
 * Lilly Singh as Herself, a famous female YouTuber.
 * Emma Watson as Herself, a famous actress who star in the Harry Potter film series. Cassie, Zack and Amy are all huge fan of Watson.

Development
On November 14, 2012, the series will return with a televisoon special. The special will be released on Disney Channel in fall 2013. The special will take places after the series finale and is a sequel to Best Friends Forever: The Movie. The special currently entitled: Best Friends Forever: The Reunion. The special will focus on Nick, Sasha, Zack, Cassie, Amy, Chris and the rest of the gang getting back together as they go on a trip together. Though, Fanning confirms that the plans for a reunion has been cancelled.

Disney confirmed that a reunion film is in the works, scheduling for a theatrical 2018 release. It will see the characters reuniting after they all graduated from collage, now lives normal adult lives.

The film's given title is Best Friends Reunion. This represent as a "continuation after the series finale of the TV series, where the characters graduated from collage and they all reunited, and it feels so good."

Casting
Josh Hutcherson, Keke Palmer, Dakota Fanning, Alyson Stoner and Jason Dolley reprised their roles. Jason Dolley becomes main character once again, because he just wrapped up filming the third season of Good Luck Charlie, giving him time to star into return as his character for the film. Other cast members Justin Gaston Paige Hurd, Shanica Knowles, Taylor Horn and Taylor Lautner also reprises their roles as Bradley, Crystal, Rebecca, Maria and Adam.

Dylan Patton and Justin Gaston confirmed that they both will not be returning as Zack Foster and Bradley Johnson, respectively. Due to his behavior in 2013 from cocaine possession, Disney declined their decision on his return. Chandler Massey confirmed to be taking Patton's place as Zack.

Best Friends Reunion also cast YouTubers - Colleen Ballinger, Joey Graceffa, Tyler Oakley, Lilly Singh and Lisa Koshy - to appear in the film as stars of the Sasha's YouTube Red Show.

Filming
Johnson revealed that the film secretly took place on March 2017, and has already been completed in early June 2017 in Los Angeles, California. Filming was shot in Las Vegas.

Release
Best Friends Reunion was released theatrically on March 30, 2018 in North America and Canada. The film will be released in the United Kingdom on April 6, 2018. On January 5, 2018, the film's trailer as well as it's official poster were released. Its original date is schedule for April 20, 2018, but was moved up to March 30, 2018 to be released over a Easter weekend. The film's world premiere will be held in Los Angeles on March 26, 2018.

The film premiered in 3,614 theaters, which is nearly 500 theaters more than Best Friends Forever: The Movie premiered in theaters back in 2010.

Box office
As of April 2, 2018, Best Friends Reunion grossed $47.1 million in North America. Including $3.5 million internationally, brings it's worldwide total to $50.6 million.

Best Friends Reunion is projecting for a $35 million to $40 million opening, a significant higher opening than Best Friends Forever: The Movie's $33 million opening, though will be facing a tough competition against Ready Player One. It is projected that it could reach $40 to $45 million mark, which would still be a higher opening than Best Friends Forever: The Movie, and possibly also bigger than High School Musical 3: Senior Year's opening with $42 million.

Best Friends Reunion earned $5 million during Thursday previews, and grossed $20 million on it's opening day, which scored Disney's highest opening day gross for any films based on Disney Channel Original Program, grossing higher than Best Friends Forever: The Movie ($18 million) and Hannah Montana: The Movie ($17 million). It debuted with a total of $45 million in it's opening weekend, which took the No. 1 spot. It made it the fifth biggest opening Easter opening of all-time, and the biggest opening for a film based on Disney Channel Original Series program surpassing High School Musical 3: Senior Year.

Critical response
Reviews for the film were generally mixed. According to the Box Office Mojo, the film ranked B for the grade of it.[1] Rotten Tomatoes scored the film a 61% out of 121 reviewers, and the average made 6.2 out of 10 average rating.[1] Lisa Fisher of The Chicago Tribune praised: "a colorful return, but with a different twist."[1] Kayla Watson from San Francisco Chronicle reviewed the film "the best movie of the year, or is it?". CinemaScore enjoyed the film and gave an average grade for Best Friends Reunion an B scale, still a good grade on a A+ to F scale. Entertainment Weekly praised the film: "no wonder what the movie has so much attention to the audiences as the stars want to see this movie if that Disneyland - will be the biggest dreams they have ever had - and can have the audience to let their children to enjoy their live with their family.[1]

The New York Times praised the film: "this movie is much a fun adventure, and this will be the perfect movie for the entire family, and especially with some of the beautiful song, can let people enjoy this movie so much!".[1] It also praised: "the film is never had such a romantic teen comedy-drama of friendships and relationships goes out of control." The Daily News producer Joe Green praised: "the movie is the perfect one for the entire family." Metacritic reports the reservation of the film's repeating issues. Ratings between 43% and 64% also grands the reporting to The Rolling Stone of Dakota Fanning's gagging character and Alyson Stoner's sexiest character. It came a reviews of 50-100 reviews. The movie was much as drama and comedy "you don't know about", asking if it would be legally disappointed, as well "still strong enough".