A year ago Warner Bros. brought footage from The Hangover to screen at ShoWest, and they brought down the house even with a crowd that wasn't exactly the target audience. Given that movie's phenomenal success, The Hangover was brought up a whole lot during this year's Warner Bros. presentation as well, all leading up to what everyone in that room was hoping would be its spiritual successor: Due Date.
Starring Robert Downey Jr. as a father frantically trying to get back to Los Angeles in time for the birth of his child, and Zach Galifianakis as the road trip buddy he's unwillingly paired up with, Due Date seems on all counts to be this decade's answer to Planes, Trains and Automobiles, about two mismatched pals trying to get home by hook or by crook. Director Todd Phillips took the stage alongside Galifianakis and Downey Jr. to introduce the clip, which is pretty much The Hangover as a road movie-- Galifianakis is toting a chronically masturbating dog, Downey Jr. gets the hell beaten out of him by a wheelchair-bound Danny McBride, and Jamie Foxx takes the two of them on a joy ride. It was a red-band trailer to be sure, which means it's likely we'll see a green band version first, but I imagine even that one will be funny.
Phillips and Galifianakis were being honored that night at the ShoWest closing night awards ceremony (Director of the Year and Comedy Star of the Year, respectively), so they didn't need Due Date's spectacular performance to be the toast of the show-- but it sure didn't hurt. Looking just as juvenile, ridiculous and hilarious as The Hangover, Due Date seems likely to take that Couples Retreat spot this November as a fall movie that performs like a blockbuster summer comedy.
I also had the chance to talk to Phillips, Galifianakis and Downey Jr. on the red carpet before the event, where Coming Soon's Ed Douglas and I did our bet to grill them, but mostly they wanted to joke around with each other. Trust me, that's worth watching on its own. Also check out at the beginning where Phillips reads my badge and says he's a fan of the site. He didn't need to suck up to get me to look forward to his movie, but hey, it didn't hurt.
This site is operated by Cinema Blend LLC. For advertising inquiries, contact Gorilla Nation. CinemaBlend.com is a private, independently owned website which is intended only as entertainment. The views expressed on this website may or may not reflect those of its owner. Don't take us too seriously.
