Popstar: Never Stop Never Stopping

Popstar: Never Stop Never Stopping
File:Popstar Lonely Island.jpg Theatrical release poster
Directed by	Akiva Schaffer Jorma Taccone
Produced by	Judd Apatow Rodney Rothman Andy Samberg Akiva Schaffer Jorma Taccone
Written by	Andy Samberg Akiva Schaffer Jorma Taccone
Starring	Andy Samberg Akiva Schaffer Jorma Taccone Sarah Silverman Tim Meadows Imogen Poots
Cinematography	Brandon Trost
Edited by	Jamie Gross Stacey Schroeder Zene Baker
Production companies	Apatow Productions The Lonely Island Party Over Here
Distributed by	Universal Pictures
Release dates	May 24, 2016 (2016-05-24) (New York City) June 3, 2016 (2016-06-03) (United States)
Running time	86 minutes
Country	United States
Language	English
Budget	$21 million

Popstar: Never Stop Never Stopping is a 2016 American mockumentary comedy film written, produced by, and starring Andy Samberg, Akiva Schaffer and Jorma Taccone, and directed by Schaffer and Taccone. Also produced by Judd Apatow, it co-stars Tim Meadows and Imogen Poots. The film is scheduled to be released on June 3, 2016, by Universal Pictures.

Synopsis

In a parody of music documentaries such as Justin Bieber: Never Say Never, Andy Samberg stars as Conner4Real, a world-famous recording artist with a massive fanbase and 32 people on his personal payroll, from his DJ and lyricist to his wolf tamer and unicorn trainer. The documentary follows Conner as he undergoes the ups and downs of the pop star life, especially after his second album Connquest is a flop and he is forced to do whatever he can to stay in the spotlight, short of reuniting with his old boy band The Style Boyz.

Cast

• Andy Samberg as Conner Friel/Conner4real
• Akiva Schaffer as Lawrence, Conner's lyricist
• Jorma Taccone as Owen, Conner's DJ
• Sarah Silverman as Paula, his publicist
• Tim Meadows as Harry, his manager
• Imogen Poots as Ashley, his girlfriend
• James Buckley as Sponge, a member of Conner's entourage
• Bill Hader as his roadie
• Chris Redd as Hunter the Hungry
• Joan Cusack as his mom
• Luke Whoriskey as his biological son
• Maya Rudolph as Deborah, his corporate sponsor
• Will Arnett as his paparazzo
• Martin Sheen as his nemesis
• Adam Levine as himself
• Mariah Carey as herself
• Snoop Dogg as himself, also known as Conner's "Dogg Father"
• Will Forte as his bagpiper
• Simon Cowell as himself
• Carrie Underwood as herself
• Usher Raymond as himself
• DJ Khaled as himself
• Seal as himself
• Pink as Conner's unicorn handler
• Questlove as himself
• Jimmy Fallon as himself
• Joanna Newsom
• "Weird Al" Yankovic

Production

Principal photography on the film began on May 14, 2015, announced by the Universal Pictures under the working title Conner4real.

Marketing and release

Samberg made a guest appearance on the season finale of Saturday Night Live on May 21, 2016. Promoted as a new SNL Digital Short, he appeared in character as Conner4real and debuted a song from the movie ("Finest Girl"). Taccone and Schaffer received guest writing credits for the episode.

The film is scheduled to be released on June 3, 2016, by Universal Pictures.

Soundtrack

The Popstar: Never Stop Never Stopping soundtrack album, performed by The Lonely Island, will be released on June 3, 2016, the day of the film's release.

Track listing

No.	Title	Writer(s)	Producer(s)	Length
1.	"I'm So Humble" (featuring Adam Levine)
2.	"Hot New Single (Dialogue)"
3.	"Equal Rights" (featuring P!nk)
4.	"Turn Up the Beef" (featuring Emma Stone)
5.	"Finest Girl (Bin Laden Song)"
6.	"Mona Lisa"
7.	"Are or Aren’t? (Dialogue)"
8.	"Hunter the Hungry Is Gon’ Eat" (featuring Chris Redd)
9.	"Should I Move?" (featuring Akon)
10.	"2 Banditos" (featuring Chris Redd)
11.	"Things in My Jeep" (featuring Linkin Park)
12.	"Kill This Music (Dialogue)"
13.	"Ashley Wednesday" (featuring Seal)
14.	"Fuck Off"
15.	"Donkey Roll"
16.	"Trip to Spain (Dialogue)"
17.	"Ibitha"
18.	"Owen’s Song"
19.	"What Was That Beat? (Dialogue)"
20.	"Sick Glenda"
21.	"Incredible Thoughts"
22.	"Me Likey Dat"
23.	"Legalize It"
24.	"I’m A Weirdo"
25.	"Karate Guy"
26.	"Rock Roll Skate"
27.	"Hey Ya Ho" (featuring Chris Redd)
28.	"Maximus"

Reception

Box office

In the United States, Popstar: Never Stop Never Stopping will open on June 3, 2016 alongside Me Before You and Teenage Mutant Ninja Turtles: Out of the Shadows and is expected to gross around $7 million from 2,300 theaters in its opening weekend.

Critical response

On Rotten Tomatoes the film has a rating of 87%, based on 15 reviews, with an average rating of 6.6/10. On Metacritic the film has a score of 65 out of 100, based on 11 critics, indicating "generally favorable reviews".

See also

• Blizzard Man - Samberg's SNL sketch about a questionable rapper.

External links

• Official website
• Popstar: Never Stop Never Stopping at IMDb