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The rom-com renaissance is on full fledge this year with its latest addition to the roster, Shotgun Wedding. Directed by Jason Moore, the same guy who spearheaded cinematic comedic staples like Pitch Perfect and Sisters, the upcoming American flick is unlike any other romcom, blending thriller and action into the mix.
Starring Jennifer Lopez and Josh Duhamel, the movie shows you everything that could possibly go wrong on one of the most important days of your life. Here’s what we know about Shotgun Wedding so far.
Editor's Note: This piece was updated on January 15 to include the latest trailer.
Is There A Trailer For Shotgun Wedding?
The trailer for Shotgun Wedding was released by Prime Video on October 4, 2022. The clip introduces us to the film’s gorgeous couple Darcy (Jennifer Lopez) and Tom (Josh Duhamel), who is about to have their dream island wedding. Of course, no special day is complete without the couple’s eccentric families, a hunky ex on the guest list, and cold feet, but that’s probably just the butterflies.
Things take a 180-degree turn when a group of dangerous pirates shows up uninvited, hijacking the wedding procession and ensuing total chaos. Darcy and Tom, however, aren’t going down without a fight. From carrying a live grenade in the dense forest to shooting a shotgun from their car roof, the couple must join hands to save their loved ones before it’s too late.
A second trailer, or as Prime Video has named it "a Holiday Cut," was released on December 7, 2022, giving us another look at all the raunchiness, laughs, and violence that Shotgun Wedding promises to be full of. More recently, we got another trailer for the movie. The nearly-two-minute clip focuses more on Jennifer Coolidge's character Carol before going into the general plot of the film. Watch it here:
What is Shotgun Wedding About?
Here is the official synopsis for Shotgun Wedding:
“In Shotgun Wedding, Darcy (Jennifer Lopez) and Tom (Josh Duhamel) gather their lovable but very opinionated families for the ultimate destination wedding, just as the couple begin to get cold feet. And if that wasn’t enough of a threat to the celebration, suddenly everyone’s lives are in danger when the entire party is taken hostage. “’Til Death Do Us Part” takes on a whole new meaning in this hilarious, adrenaline-fueled adventure as Darcy and Tom must save their loved ones—if they don’t kill each other first.”
Where and When Can You Watch Shotgun Wedding?
Shotgun Wedding will be available for streaming exclusively on Prime Video on January 27, 2023.
Originally, the rom-com was set for a theatrical release by Lionsgate on June 29, 2022. But plans changed when Amazon Studios obtained the rights to the film in March 2022.
When Did Production Begin for Shotgun Wedding?
Plans for Shotgun Wedding were first announced on January 19, 2019. Joining director Moore is writer Mark Hammer, known for his work in Two Night Stand. Notable names like Liz Meriwether, David Hoberman, and Todd Lieberman are also involved in the production of the film. Initially, Ryan Reynolds was set to start in the movie via his production company Maximum Effort. In October 2020, Lopez, along with Benny Medina and Elaine Goldsmith-Thomas, also took part as producers through Nuyorican Productions.
News of the film’s casting was first announced on October 27, 2020, with Lopez playing Shotgun Wedding’s female lead. Reynolds was no longer part of the project and was instead replaced by Armie Hammer. However, due to abuse allegations against him, Hammer exited the project. Hammer was soon replaced by Duhamel. Later on, casting has been confirmed for Sônia Braga and Jennifer Coolidge, followed by Lenny Kravitz, D’Arcy Carden, Cheech Marin, Selena Tan, Alex Mallari Jr., Desmin Borges, Callie Hernandez, and Steve Coulter.
Filming was supposed to begin in the summer of 2019, but it was eventually rescheduled to February 22, 2021. Shooting was held in Boston and the Dominican Republic. Principal photography ended on April 22, 2021.
Who’s In The Cast and Crew of Shotgun Wedding?
Jennifer Lopez stars as Darcy, the bride-to-be who’s about to have the wedding of her life. A triple-threat entertainer, Lopez is no stranger to the world of acting, from wholesome romcoms like Maid in Manhattan to heart-racing thrillers such as Anaconda. Playing her future husband Tom is Josh Duhamel, whom you might have seen in the Transformers franchise. He also has an extensive romcom portfolio, featured in movies in When in Rome and Life as We Know It.
Sônia Braga is set to play Renata; Braga is a seasoned professional, with acclaimed performances in Kiss of the Spider Woman and Moon over Parador. Meanwhile, The White Lotus’ very own Jennifer Coolidge stars as Carol. The recent Emmy Award winner cemented her name in pop culture thanks to her role as Jeanine "Stifler's Mom" Stifler in the American Pie franchise and most notably as Paulette Bonafonté Parcelle in the Legally Blonde film series. Despite playing supporting roles, Braga and Coolidge both have the acting chops and flair to stand out in the movie.
The star-studded lineup also includes familiar faces such as American singer-songwriter Lenny Kravitz featuring Sean. Cheech & Chong’s Cheech Marin plays Robert, while D'Arcy Carden from The Good Place stars as Harriet. Singaporean actress Selena Tan, who played in Crazy Rich Asians, joins the cast as Marge. Other cast members include Desmin Borges, Alex Mallari Jr., Callie Hernandez, Steve Coulter, María del Mar Fernández, and Héctor Gonz.
Movies Like Shotgun Wedding You Can Watch Now
Ready Or Not: another movie that’s based on a wedding gone wrong, Ready Or Not follows Grace (Samara Weaving) who’s about to have a wedding night she won’t forget. Little does she realize that her new family has sinister plans, and Grace must do whatever it takes to escape the hellish human-hunting tradition before her in-laws get their diabolical hands on her.
Kill Bill: when the Bride’s (Uma Thurman) wedding ceremony turns into a disastrous bloodbath, she concocts a revengeful scheme to get even with her baby’s daddy. Directed by Quentin Tarantino, Kill Bill is indulgent with its sharp banter and draws inspiration from action kung fu movies - with a gory twist.
Bridesmaids: every bride needs her bridesmaids to pull her together. But if you’ve got a group of bridesmaids like Lillian’s (Maya Rudolph), you might get into a hilarious whirlwind of poorly-made decisions and unnecessary petty rivalry. Just make sure they don’t mess up the wedding!