The Secret Life of Pets sequel in development

A sequel to hit animated comedy The Secret Life Of Pets is in the works.

The family film, featuring the voices of Louis C.K., Kevin Hart, and Eric Stonestreet, became a big hit upon its North American release last month (Jul16), rocketing to the top of the box office with a $104.4 million debut.

The impressive haul helped the movie snag the best opening ever for a PG-rated film in the U.S. and Canada, beating out 2010's Shrek Forever After for the title.

On Tuesday (02Aug16), The Secret Life of Pets marked a new milestone as it crossed $400 million globally, with $300.3 million in North America alone, and studio bosses at Universal Pictures and Illumination Entertainment celebrated the news by announcing plans for a follow-up.

The second film in the franchise will feature a similar plot as the original, which explored what the furry friends get up to when their owners leave them home alone.

Minions writer Brian Lynch will return to pen the sequel's script, which will be directed by Despicable Me filmmaker Chris Renaud, who took charge of this summer's (16) hit. The Secret Life of Pets 2 is slated to open in July, 2018, reports TheWrap.com.

The cast has yet to be confirmed, but the main actors are expected to reprise their roles for the second installment.

New mom Ellie Kemper, Jenny Slate, Lake Bell, Bobby Moynihan, and Albert Brooks also lent their voice talents to the project.

The Secret Life of Pets' global gross is expected to continue climbing as it only opened in China on Tuesday and is still to be released in multiple other territories.