Is An NSYNC Reunion Happening? Everything We Know So Far

NSYNC, featuring Chris Kirkpatrick, Justin Timberlake, Joey Fatone, Lance Bass and JC Chasez, in 1999

Is an NSYNC reunion happening? A recent blind item got fans hoping for a reunion tour with Justin Timberlake and the members he left behind: Lance Bass, JC Chasez, Joey Fatone and Chris Kirkpatrick. Now the rumor is that the boyband will indeed be coming back together, but for the third installment in DreamWorks' Trolls franchise, in which Timberlake plays a character named Branch.

Here's what we know about the potential for getting the boy band back together and whether or not you should hold your breath.

Related: The Best Throwback NSYNC Videos

What does NSYNC stand for?

Honestly? Mostly nonsense and a gimmick. It's the last letter of each of the original members' first names: JustiN, ChriS, JoeY, JasoN and JC.

You'll notice that Lance Bass isn't there, and instead "Jason" is. That stands for former member Jason Galasso, who left the group before they ever performed.

Will NSYNC ever do a reunion tour?

There have been rumors, rumblings and blind items suggesting that NSYNC may have a reunion tour in 2024, but nothing has been substantiated or deemed credible as yet.

Is NSYNC reuniting?

A recent blind item suggested that NSYNC may tour again. While that rumor remains unsubstantiated, it has spawned yet another (arguably more plausible) rumor, which is that the guys are reuniting for the upcoming animated movie Trolls Band Together, in which Timberlake plays a character named Branch.

A source told ET, "JC Chasez, Lance Bass, Joey Fatone and Chris Kirkpatrick are expected to have surprise roles in the third Trolls film," which of course stars Timberlake. The outlet also reports that the former bandmates will reunite as NSYNC to drop a new song for the movie. If that rumor turns out to be true, the track would be the group's first song together since 2001's "Girlfriend."

Will NSYNC reunite in Trolls 3?

That's the rumor! For what it's worth, the Trolls Band Together trailer does make a good case for the possibility, as it reveals that Branch (Timberlake) has four brothers with whom he used to be in a boyband—and that the plot of the movie is to see them reunite.

"Branch, we’re out of sync," one long-lost brother says. "We've gone from boys to men, and now there's only one direction for us to go: to the back streets."

When was the last time NSYNC performed together?

NSYNC last performed together in 2013 to mark Timberlake's Video Vanguard Award at the MTV Video Music Awards. Before that, it was a performance of the national anthem at the 2004 NSYNC Challenge for Children.

What happened to the NSYNC members?

Where is each member of NSYNC now? All over the place:

Justin Timberlake

We all know what happened to Justin Timberlake: He went on to be a massive multi-Grammy-winning solo star, performed at the Super Bowl Halftime Show twice, and is an established film actor. He's a dad of two sons with wife Jessica Biel and even apologized to his ex Britney Spears for how he treated her in the media after their highly-publicized split.

Related: Justin Timberlake's Net Worth

JC Chasez

JC Chasez, inarguably the group's best vocalist, saw his solo career stall after his debut album Schizophrenic was delayed several times, and promotion for the project came to an unfair halt after Timberlake's Super Bowl Halftime Show wardrobe malfunction with Janet Jackson. Chasez's second album, The Story of Kate, was delayed so many times it was canceled altogether. From there, he succeeded in other pursuits. He's produced and written music for artists including NSYNC rivals The Backstreet Boys, The Pussycat Dolls and more, and was a judge on America's Best Dance Crew. He's reportedly working on a musical.

Joey Fatone

Joey Fatone became an actor, with memorable turns in My Big Fat Greek Wedding and its sequels, as well as in numerous stage productions. He's been a TV staple as well, competing on Dancing with the Stars, announcing Family Feud and guest-starring in shows including Hannah Montana.

Related: What We Know So Far About My Big Fat Greek Wedding 3

Lance Bass

Lance Bass founded a music management company, Free Lance Entertainment, in 2000, and almost went to space before a bunch of billionaire bozos made it trendy. He appeared in a slew of movies and TV shows, including Zoolander, Cursed, I Now Pronounce You Chuck and Larry and Tropic Thunder, and provided voice acting to the iconic Final Fantasy VII villain Sephiroth in Kingdom Hearts.

In 2006, Bass came out as gay after facing pressure from bloggers who threatened to out him before he was ready.

Bass has competed on several series, including My Kitchen Rules and Dancing with the Stars. He currently hosts a podcast, Frosted Tips With Lance Bass, and is pals with Britney Spears post-conservatorship.

Chris Kirkpatrick

After NSYNC disbanded, Chris Kirkpatrick fronted the rock band Nigel's 11 (shoutout to This Is Spinal Tap!) for several years. He then starred in MTV's reality series Mission Man Band, forming the boy band supergroup Sureshot with Jeff Timmons of 98 Degrees and Bryan Williams from Color Me Badd.

Kirkpatrick has dabbled in voice acting as a pop star on The Fairly OddParents and appeared in other reality shows, including Celebrity Big Brother, Gone Country and The Masked Singer.

Related: Chris Kirkpatrick Talks Celebrity Big Brother 3

Why did Jason leave NSYNC?

Jason Galasso has said he left NSYNC because he didn't want to be seen as a heartthrob. He dropped out of the group after the first weeks of rehearsals, leading Timberlake's vocal coach to recommend Bass to fill in the bass vocal role. Galasso now lives a quiet, normal life in Florida.

Related: The Best Rock Bands of All Time

Who was the most successful member of NSYNC after the group disbanded?

As if you didn't know the answer to this. Justin Timberlake has been solidly A-list since going solo, expanding his career from music to film acting and winning a ton of Grammys, playing the Super Bowl Halftime Show (twice, if you count his Janet Jackson career-ending cameo) and more.

Is NSYNC touring in 2023?

So far, no. We're already midway through August 2023, and no tour plans have been announced yet—so if it does ever happen, it's unlikely to be this year.

Will Justin Timberlake ever reunite with NSYNC?

In January 2021, Timberlake told The Radio Times (via The Mirror) that while he didn't plan on reuniting with NSYNC, to "never say never." That means the door is open, even if only a crack, but a full reunion remains to be seen. There has been speculation that Timberlake and NSYNC may reunite for a song for the upcoming film Trolls Band Together (after Timberlake had a massive hit with "Don't Stop the Feeling"), but no one has confirmed the rumors just yet.

If Timberlake doesn't rejoin the group for live performances, Bass has suggested that he'd love Glee star Darren Criss to take Timberlake's place.

When did NSYNC release their last album?

NSYNC's last album, Celebrity, was released on July 24, 2001. Since then, they've released three compilation albums: Greatest Hits (Oct. 25, 2005), The Collection (Jan. 25, 2010) and The Essential *NSYNC (July 29, 2014).

What was the last song NSYNC released?

The last NSYNC single was "Girlfriend," featuring rapper Nelly. It debuted on Jan. 14, 2002.

Next, Check Out The Definitive Ranking Of The Best Boy Bands Of All Time