This 12 months marks the twentieth anniversary of the Will Smith rom-com Hitch hitting theaters. It got here at a time when the A-lister and well-known comedic actor had been starring in a slew of motion movies, so followers have been fast to say the eponymous love guru was a very long time coming. Smith additionally served as a producer on the movie, with filmmaker Andy Tennant (Candy Residence Alabama) enlisted to direct. Amid the smash-hit movie’s milestone, Tennant gave a headline-making interview earlier this 12 months about the way it was really a “battle” to make Hitch alongside Smith. Tennant additionally famous that he by no means heard from the megastar after its launch. MovieWeb had the possibility to speak with Tennant amid the discharge of his newest film — a completely completely different style that he says was “a blast” to make. Unit 234 is now accessible in theaters and on demand, and Tennant took the time to share a bit extra in regards to the Hitch manufacturing as properly.
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Confirming the behind-the-scenes tales and saying Hitch was “not a simple film” to make, Tennant additionally revealed that Will Smith and the studio at the moment are engaged on a sequel with out him. Although Tennant would not appear to thoughts. Which, contemplating his expertise making the primary film, ought to come as little shock.
“It was not a simple film. I feel the film that I wished to make and the film that Will wished to make is not so good as the film that Will and Andy made collectively, however that got here with lots of dialog and pressure and stuff,” Tennant informed MovieWeb. “What I hear is that Will is engaged on a sequel with out me, however, , extra energy to him. And he was the producer, and he is the one who employed me within the first place. However, very happy with the film, very proud that we obtained by means of it. It was an fascinating expertise… It was a sophisticated shoot… [But Unit 234 was] such a special expertise. We had a blast. We actually did have a blast.”
“Finished With Romantic Comedies”
It is plain to see Tennant and firm had a ball placing a small-scale thriller like Unit 234 collectively, all boosted by juicy and gloriously sleazy performances by Don Johnson and Jack Huston. It is a hoot to know that Tennant, the filmmaker behind Idiot’s Gold (2008) and It Takes Two (1995), helmed this new R-rated providing.
“I’ve carried out lots of romantic comedies. I am carried out with romantic comedies. I really feel like I’ve, , stated all I can say about love and its many foibles,” Tennant informed MovieWeb. “So when the [Unit 234] script got here alongside, , no one gives me a thriller, and I used to be simply praying that it was good. And it was greater than good. It was simply intelligent, and the twists, I did not see coming. And by the point I completed the script, I used to be like, ‘They’ve made a mistake. This cannot be to me.’ And I’ve at all times thought that once I learn it, the very first thing I assumed was, ‘Why hasn’t this film been made earlier than?’ Like, it is such a no brainer.”
Tennant continued, revealing his considering behind setting the whole lot of Unit 234 throughout the confines of a storage facility.
“A storage facility is frightening, even within the daytime. So I simply thought it was actually, actually intelligent. So I used to be very glad to hitch after which I like the concept it was small and contained. And, , I’ve carried out massive motion pictures, they usually’re shot the identical means. It is nonetheless one shot at a time. So for me, it was type of staying out of the way in which of the actors. They knew their stuff, and we did not have sufficient time, we did not manage to pay for, and we shot solely what we completely wanted. And I feel that is in all probability why it is as tight as it’s, as a result of we did not have any superfluous stuff.”
Try the tip outcome for your self. From Brainstorm Media, Unit 234 is now accessible in theaters and on demand.
Unit 234
- Launch Date
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Could 9, 2025
- Runtime
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86 minutes
- Director
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Andy Tennant
- Writers
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Derek Steiner
- Producers
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Bradley Gallo, Colleen Camp, Don Johnson, Doug Murray, Hadeel Reda, Michael A. Helfant, Blythe Frank, William G. Santor, Mimi Steinbauer