’Good Burger 2’ is right here. Star Kel Mitchell says what to anticipate from the sequel : NPR

They’re again and extra burgery than ever.

Vanessa Clifton/Nickelodeon/Paramount+

cover caption

toggle caption

Vanessa Clifton/Nickelodeon/Paramount+

They’re again and extra burgery than ever.

Vanessa Clifton/Nickelodeon/Paramount+

Good Burger was one of many nice ’90s cult classics, staring Kel Mitchell as Ed and Kenan Thompson as Dex — two greatest mates working on the similar quick meals restaurant.

And now, greater than 25 years later, the burger-slinging duo is again with Good Burger 2.

It is a challenge that Mitchell says they have been desirous to make ever for the reason that first one got here out again in 1997.

He spoke with All Issues Thought of host Juana Summers concerning the significance of the beloved challenge then — and the way it matches into his life now.

This interview has been evenly edited for size and readability.

Interview Highlights

Juana Summers: It is now been greater than 25 years since Good Burger the unique first hit screens. And I need to begin by asking you, do individuals nonetheless come as much as you and ask you to cite that film?

Kel Mitchell: Sure, on a regular basis. Actually occurred about an hour in the past. [Laughs] ”Kel, are you able to say welcome to Good Burger?”

However sure, it does. It occurs quite a bit. And, you realize, I find it irresistible. I like that I’ve achieved one thing that’s close to and pricey to individuals’s hearts.

Summers: How did the plans for this sequel come collectively?

Mitchell: Properly, we have been desirous to do half two since half one. And I really feel like about two years in the past, that is when it began to essentially get on its ft.

Once we did the Jimmy Fallon reunion, that was tremendous superb. The followers cherished it. It simply made it extra actual. We had already been speaking about doing it extra, however that acquired the studios like, ”OK, yeah, we actually want to do that.”

Then it was like, properly, what is the story? Let’s get into the script. And Kenan and I each produced this one as properly, so it was simply nice to work with the writers, Kevin Kopelow and Heath Seifert, who’re superb.

They wrote the primary one, and [it was amazing] for us all to work collectively and simply make this a film that may additionally stand by itself.

Summers: We’ve to speak about that voice that individuals maintain asking you to make use of to cite these well-known traces from that film. Are you able to speak to us a bit bit about Ed’s voice?

Mitchell: Properly, I really created the voice in my audition. It was a voice that I used to be doing right here in Chicago, once I was doing theater. And I might at all times have enjoyable with my cousins.

We’d say, would not or not it’s cool if Saved by the Bell lived in Chicago, the youngsters from there? And the way would they speak, these California children? And so we might discuss Chicago stuff, however speak like we had been Valley children like, ”Woah dude, yeah!”

And so I did that within the audition as a result of they had been like, ”Do you may have any characters?” And I did a bunch of characters. I did my coach in there, and that was Coach Kreeton from All That and a ton of different characters that changed into characters on All That. However Ed was the one which simply retains going that everyone simply gravitated in direction of, which is tremendous cool.

Summers: One of many brightest issues that shone by is that this actually lovely, pretty story about friendship and loyalty. So I need to ask you about your friendship with Kenan Thompson. I imply, you guys had not been on a set like this collectively for years. What was it like working collectively once more and reprising these characters?

Mitchell: Oh, man, it felt superb. For me, like, that is the present that we began in 1994, after which a film in ’97, after which now we’re nonetheless doing it in 2023.

And for us, man, I imply, that is like my brother. That is what you hope for. You are enjoying a personality and you’ve got these friendships that often, if you say reduce in a few of these films, you may not speak to the individual once more for some time, however for us it has been superior.

It is like this household that we’ve got, even with our [own] household, and our mothers are mates and everybody hangs out. And so it is actually, actually cool that we get to have this journey with our complete household collectively and with Kenan and I each.

With the comedy, it was like driving a motorbike. Once we acquired proper again into it the primary day, we was similar to, ”OK, let’s get into this.”

Summers: What do you suppose it’s about Good Burger that makes this film, this place, so related nonetheless to so many individuals, even 25-plus years later?

Mitchell: I actually really feel prefer it’s the underdog story, you realize what I imply? I assume the mother and pop restaurant, going up in opposition to these main firms and also you’re rooting for them, I imply, you actually rooting for them.

After which it is also, I clarify this on a regular basis, Good Burger looks like consolation meals. Whenever you eat consolation meals, you may have a reminiscence of the primary time you ate it, after which the second that you simply’re consuming it [now]. And so that is what Good Burger 2 offers you, all this nice nostalgia, however then [also] what’s to return sooner or later and what you are doing now.

And the household side of all of it, the place it is a film that you may watch with everybody, you realize from grandma all the best way right down to the toddler, everyone could be on the sofa. We’re bringing that again the place you possibly can simply have the entire household watch and nobody has to depart the room.