Man, remember when Eurovision Song Contest: The Story of Fire Saga debuted on Netflix back in June and injected a much-needed shot of happiness directed into the world's veins? What a picture. What a soundtrack. I quite frankly have not wanted to hear a single thing other than "Jaja Ding Dong" for six months. It's hard to imagine a roll-out for a film more joyous than what we got...and yet! A new behind-the-scenes report from EW reveals that the lead-up to Eurovision Song Contest was almost a way bigger deal, and would've involved pretty much everyone involved pretending Will Ferrell and Rachel McAdams were a legitimate obscure pop duo a very long time.

Here's the gist: According to director David Dobkin, the marketing campaign for Eurovision Song Contest originally started with music producer Scooter Braun debuting his new act, "Fire Saga." Ferrell and McAdams, in-character as Lars Erickssong and Sigrit Ericksdottir, would've then embarked on a "true marketing campaign," complete with billboards, a Saturday Night Live musical guest spot, and a legit attempt at the Billboard charts for the single, "Volcano Man."

"We were never gonna say it was Will and Rachel," notes Dobkin. "It was gonna be them but always [as] Lars and Sigrit."

Rachel McAdams in Netflix's Eurovision Song Contest
Image via Netflix

Ferrell and McAdams' Icelandic odyssey was set to end with a performance at the actual Eurovision song contest. Unfortunately for the film's schedule and, you know, all of humanity, the COVID pandemic arrived, putting a stop to the marketing plans as well as Eurovision's planned two-week theatrical release.

"The COVID of it all really screeched that to a halt," Dobkin said. "Eurovision was canceled, but just as importantly, we couldn’t really market the movie because, with everything going on and people marching in the streets in America, it didn’t feel like a time for us to be out there ignoring all that."

For more on Eurovision Song Contest, here's our ode to Rachel McAdams' comedic genius. For more on the music of Eurovision Song Contest, play "Jaja Ding Dong."