The Movie Insider

It's a new "Night" and "Museum" for Ben Stiller, who is joined by several other stars from the original film, as well as new characters from history. The centerpiece of the film will be bringing to life the Smithsonian Institution, which houses the world’s largest museum complex with more than 136 million items in its collections, ranging from the plane Amelia Earhart flew on her nonstop solo flight across the Atlantic and Al Capone’s rap sheet and mug shot to Dorothy’s ruby red slippers and Archie Bunker’s lounge chair. No major film has ever shot inside the Smithsonian in Washington…until "Night at the Museum 2: Battle of the Smithsonian".

Sequel to 2006's "Night at the Museum". The movie will be the first ever major Hollywood movie shot at the museum in Washington, D.C. It's been reported that Reese Witherspoon has been approached to take on the role of Amelia Earhart (12/14/07). 20th Century Fox paid $550,000 to the Smithsonian Institution for the right to use its name in the title of the film, the Washington Post reported. The studio approached the Smithsonian about setting the film in Washington, and officials spent six months reading scripts until approving the final version last month (06/02/08).