EXCLUSIVE: The Amazon MGM comedy The Underdoggs is shifting from its planned Jan. 26 theatrical release to an exclusive Prime Video debut in homes on that date in more than 240 countries and territories around the globe.
Snoop Dogg, who stars and produces the Charles Stone III directed ensemble announced the news today on his social media handles and dropped the first red band trailer, which you watch below.
Amazon MGM remains to committed to theatrical and has long plans for it; their recent specialty hit Saltburn seeing a mind-blowing -10% hold in its third weekend at the box office; that pic now counting a running domestic cume of $7M. Live action R-rated comedies have been challenged at the box office lately, i.e. Strays ($24M DBO), Like A Boss ($22M DBO), Blackening ($18M DBO), Joy Ride ($13M DBO), The Machine ($10M DBO), and House Party ($9M DBO). As such, the decision was made to have The Underdoggs play to the widest audience possible on Prime Video.
The synergy of Amazon’s verticals including TNF, Amazon Music, Twitch, etc. will be an integral component of Underdogg‘s marketing campaign. This will be tied to Snoop’s 193.5M social media reach, a brand in and of itself that extends beyond music (to clothing, snacks, cereal, animation, etc.).
Written by Danny Segal and Isaac Schamis, The Underdoggs follows Jaycen “Two Js” Jennings, a washed-up former pro football star, who hits rock bottom and is sentenced to community service coaching an unruly pee-wee football team in his hometown. During the course of this, he may just turn his life around and rediscover his love of the game in the process.
The movie stars Tika Sumpter, Andrew Schulz, Mike Epps and George Lopez.
Producers are Kenya Barris, Mychelle Deshamps, Jonathan Glickman, Constance Schwartz-Morini and Snoop Dogg.
Currently, there are no other wide theatrical entries on Jan. 26. There are several arthouse releases including Sony Pictures Classics’ The Peasants and Focus Features’ Housekeepers for Beginners.
Here’s Snoop Dogg’s news: