We have seen countless great biopics over the years that dramatize the lives of musicians, athletes, politicians, and even an inside look at the origins of a popular video game with Tetris. However, another kind of fact-based film slowly becoming a Hollywood trend is the food industry biopic, with recent examples that include The Founder (about how McDonald’s became a franchise) from 2015 and 2023’s alleged account of a popular Cheetos flavor’s development in Flamin’ Hot. The next exciting entry in this category is Unfrosted.
The story behind the quintessential toaster-ready breakfast pastry that comes in a box, known as the Pop-Tart, is about to be revealed in an upcoming Netflix original movie from none other than Jerry Seinfeld. However, as the legendary comedian has previously teased, this film is not going to be like your average biopic. How so? We shall discuss that and more details we know about Unfrosted in our following guide below. Let’s pop to it!
What Is The Unfrosted Release Date?
On May 3, 2024, Unfrosted will finally pop up, ready to be consumed with a Netflix subscription. The date on the upcoming 2024 movies schedule falls nearly three years after the fact-based food movie was first announced in 2021, as reported then by Deadline. Additionally, this year also marks the 60th anniversary of when the eponymous morning snack first hit the shelves.
The Unfrosted Cast Is More Stuffed Than Pop-Tart Filling
We imagine that, if the Pop-Tart was sentient, it would probably be terrified by the amount of people who want to eat it — to reference an ad campaign launched for the product in the earlier 2000s. However, we also believe it would be proud to see that the Unfrosted cast is made up of such a stellar ensemble of A-listers. As confirmed by Netflix’s official blog, Tudum, the following are some of the talented people you can expect to pop into frame (most of whom are in currently undisclosed roles).
Jerry Seinfeld
Before starring in a movie about one of Kellogg’s most popular products, Jerry Seinfeld became a household name playing one of the brand’s most devoted customers as the lead of the Seinfeld cast in the groundbreaking sitcom he also created with Larry David.
Most of the popular comedian’s other most notable acting credits are just more fictionalized versions of himself — such as on Curb Your Enthusiasm — save for when he lent his voice to the role of Barry B. Benson in 2007’s Bee Movie. Unfrosted is also his latest of many collaborations with the platform, including his 2020 Netflix stand-up comedy special, 23 Hours to Kill, biographical documentary Seinfeld Before Seinfeld, and funny docuseries, Comedians in Cars Getting Coffee.
Melissa McCarthy
Like Seinfeld, Melissa McCarthy is one of the most celebrated comedic talents of her time and has the Emmy wins and Oscar nominations to prove it. Of course, only her first nod from the Academy was a comedic role (Megan in the Bridesmaids cast) and the second was for one of her most acclaimed dramatic performances in Can You Ever Forgive Me?, showing that the SNL Five-Timer’s Club member really can do it all.
Jim Gaffigan
Also known for his impressive transition from comedy into more serious roles is Jim Gaffigan. The fellow comedian starred in a few sitcoms (including My Boys and The Jim Gaffigan Show) and funny cinematic favorites like Super Troopers and its sequel, but also shined in Chappaquiddick as Ted Kennedy’s attorney, Paul Markham.
Amy Schumer
After rising in the ranks of the stand-up world, Amy Schumer became the star of her own acclaimed sketch comedy series, Inside Amy Schumer, which Jerry Seinfeld once guest-starred on. One of her most celebrated cinematic efforts to date is 2015’s semi-autobiographical rom-com, Trainwreck, which she also wrote.
Hugh Grant
One of the only Unfrosted cast members with any specific, known details about his role is Hugh Grant, whom Empire reports is playing a man who dresses as Tony the Tiger for a Frosted Flakes promo. This serves as a perfect follow-up for the English Four Weddings and a Funeral star’s role in Wonka as an Oompa-Loompa, which sort of counts as a food mascot if you think about it.
There are plenty more Unfrosted cast members to look forward to seeing. Here’s a quick rundown of who else has been confirmed to star:
- Max Greenfield
- Peter Dinklage
- Christian Slater
- Bill Burr
- Daniel Levy
- James Marsden (Jack LaLanne)
- Jack McBrayer
- Thomas Lennon
- Bobby Moynihan (Chef Boyardee)
- Adrian Martinez
- Sarah Cooper
- Mikey Day
- Kyle Mooney
- Drew Tarver
- Tony Hale
- Felix Solis
- Maria Bakalova
- Dean Norris
- Kyle Dunnigan
- Sebastian Maniscalco
- Beck Bennett
- Cedric the Entertainer
- Fred Armisen
- John Slattery
- Jon Hamm
- Aparna Nancherla
That's definitely a stacked cast worth watching!
The Unfrosted Trailer Teases An Explosive Story About The Breakfast Food Industry
The story behind the development of a toaster pastry does not quite sound like the means for an exciting cinematic experience. However, the trailer for Unfrosted proves that, in the hands of Seinfeld, big things can come in small boxes. Check out the clip for yourself below:
As the teaser suggests, Unfrosted will depict the rivalry over the Pop-Tart as a no-nonsense war in which even then-U.S. President John F. Kennedy gets involved and casualties ensue. Above all, it looks to be a fun comedy, complete with hilarious appearances and uproarious circumstances you rarely seen in films inspired by true events.
Unfrosted Chronicles Food Company Rivals’ Race To Create The Ultimate Breakfast Pastry
As the aforementioned Tudum post from above reveals, Unfrosted is set in 1963, during which breakfast food industry titans Kellogg’s and Post vie for supremacy in a war to be the first to release a "shelf-stable fruit pastry breakfast product." However, we probably should not expect a typical history lesson based on what Jerry Seinfeld said in the following June 2021 X post (from when the social media platform was still called Twitter):
Here’s more about “UNFROSTED - The Pop Tart Story” 1. Yes, it is the same lunatic writing team that gave you the uncomfortable hit “Bee Movie”. 2. The story of how the Pop Tart was invented is told like “The Right Stuff”. 3. A few parts we did not make up. 4. I work clean.
The trailer should also be a good indication that Seinfeld and co. have taken quite a few creative liberties with how the story behind the Pop-Tart is told in Unfrosted. This concept of embellishing (or simply ignoring) facts for comedic effect was used successfully in 2022’s Weird: The Al Yankovic Story, which stars Daniel Radcliffe as the iconic musical parodist and, appropriately, serves as a parody of music biopics. Plus, comparing the structure to a space movie classic like The Right Stuff makes it sound even more epic.
Unfrosted: The Pop-Tart Story Is Rated PG-13
While Pop-Tarts may be primarily marketed for younger consumers, the MPA recommends that parents should be cautious about letting their children watch Unfrosted when it premieres. The film has been rated PG-13 for some suggestive references and language.
Jerry Seinfeld Co-Wrote And Directed Unfrosted
Not only is Seinfeld one of the main stars of Unfrosted, he also helmed the film, which marks the comedian’s first time directing a dramatized feature. He previously directed a segment for VH1’s The Concert For New York City in 2001, two stand-up specials performed by his friend Colin Quinn, and an episode of Comedians in Cars Getting Coffee, featuring Jimmy Fallon.
Seinfeld also wrote the film, but not alone. As Variety mentions in a report from 2022, he collaborated on the screenplay with Spike Feresten, Barry Marder, and Andy Robin, who also wrote Bee Movie with the comedian. Seinfeld and Feresten are also credited as producers for Unfrosted, alongside Beau Bauman, while Marder and Robin are executive producing with Cherylanne Martin.
Netflix is also where you can stream the popular ’90s TV show, Seinfeld, while you wait for Unfrosted to finally premiere. That should be a good way to hold your attention as your anticipation, much like a Pop-Tart in a toaster, continues to heat up.
