Trolls Band Together directors Walt Dohrn and Tim Heitz discuss bringing *NSYNC back together for the film in this exclusive interview.
Trolls Band Together is the third film in the franchise and this time it leans heavily into the boy band aspect. It turns out that not only does Branch have several brothers that Poppy knew nothing about, they were in a boyband together — BroZone. This is fitting because the voice of Branch, Justin Timberlake, was in also in a boyband, *NSYNC.
While they never officially broke up, *NSYNC has taken a very long hiatus. Until now. The group came together to do a new song, Better Place, for Trolls Band Together. They also make a brief appearance in the film that had *NSYNC fans everywhere losing their minds (myself included).
I sat down with directors Walt Dohrn and Tim Heitz to talk about Trolls Band Together releasing on DVD, Blu-ray and 4K. While we discussed selecting the bonus features and the advancement of animation since the first Trolls project, you know we had to talk about the boy band reunion heard around the world.
Trolls Band Together Directors Spill *NSYNC Reunion Details
Tessa Smith: Where did the idea come from to integrate *NSYNC and the boy band aspect with Trolls Band Together?
Walt Dohrn: I think it was a big part of that organic evolution of these movies. You know, we got into this third one, and we said, “Yeah, let’s celebrate pop music this time around.” We had the different genres last time. Let’s celebrate pop music, and in particular, we haven’t really gone too much into the ’90s. Like really kind of delved into that decade.
So we said, Okay, the story of Branch having brothers, and they were in a band together, that’s good. But it was like a ’90s boy band. Okay, that’s great. Of course that’s really natural for Justin to do. And he was into the idea.
So we spent a good year and a half working on the movie and talking about it and talking about his experiences. And that’s when the idea that he got of getting the guys back together came. He’s like, “What if we got *NSYNC back together?.” We’re like, “Hallelujah, yes!”
Tessa Smith: What was it like getting to work with the guys?
Tim Heitz: Unbelievable. It was surreal because I was in high school in the 90s when they were having their first big moment, so being able to be a part of this in any way shape or form just felt super surreal. Then when Justin said hey, I think I might want to get the guys back together for the song and hey, maybe we can even get them as characters into the movie… we got to collaborate on what that could look like.
It was so much fun and each one of them, when they recorded their parts, they were so enthusiastic and collaborative and just had such a great time. They just wanted to have fun with us, too and that’s what we’re always aiming for.
Walt Dohrn: Yeah, they got to help design their characters and choose their outfits. They had a big say in it. This just felt like a natural union, I think, the Trolls and *NSYNC just makes sense.
Be sure to watch the whole interview for more behind the scenes Trolls Band Together details.
Trolls Band Together Sing-Along Edition is available now on DVD, Blu-ray and 4K.
NEXT: Trolls Band Together Bonus Features
About Trolls Band Together
After two films of true friendship and relentless flirting, Poppy (Anna Kendrick) and Branch (Justin Timberlake) are now officially, finally, a couple (#broppy)! As they grow closer, Poppy discovers that Branch has a secret past.
He was once part of her favorite boyband phenomenon, BroZone, with his four brothers: Floyd (Golden Globe nominated electropop sensation Troye Sivan), John Dory (Eric André; Sing 2), Spruce (Grammy winner Daveed Diggs; Hamilton) and Clay (Grammy winner Kid Cudi; Don’t Look Up). BroZone disbanded when Branch was still a baby, as did the family, and Branch hasn’t seen his brothers since.
But when Branch’s bro Floyd is kidnapped for his musical talents by a pair of nefarious pop-star villains—Velvet (Emmy winner Amy Schumer; Trainwreck) and Veneer (Grammy winner and Tony nominee Andrew Rannells; The Book of Mormon)—Branch and Poppy embark on a harrowing and emotional journey to reunite the other brothers and rescue Floyd from a fate even worse than pop-culture obscurity.
Trolls Band Together Sing-Along Edition is available now on DVD, Blu-ray and 4K.
Tessa Smith is a Rotten Tomatoes Tomatometer-approved Film and TV Critic. On Camera personality and TV / Film Critic with 10+ years of experience in video editing, writing, editing, moderating, and hosting.