BEN STILLER’S “THE WATCH” TO OPEN SEPTEMBER 5 IN (PHILS.) CINEMAS

 

BEN STILLER’S “THE WATCH” TO OPEN SEPTEMBER 5 IN (PHILS.) CINEMAS

Meet the neighborhood watch: civic-minded Evan (Ben Stiller), fun-loving family guy Bob (Vince Vaughn), tough-talking “wild card” Franklin (Jonah Hill) and the looking-for-love divorcé Jamarcus (Richard Ayoade). In a seemingly serene suburban enclave and safe haven, Evan Bob, Franklin and Jamarcus have decided to join forces to safeguard their community. In addition, they’re enjoying some of the perks that come with being a “Watcher”… like drinking beer and just being guys.

But when the guys’ patrol vehicle hits something that leaves behind a trail of green goo and a tentacle of some sort, and they find a strange, bowling ball-like device that emits a concentrated beam of energy – they realize that their little group has stumbled onto something bigger than a prowler on the loose.

“When they formed this ‘band of brothers’, the guys thought, sure, they might encounter some weird neighborhood stuff – maybe a burglar here, or peeping tom there – but suddenly they realize they’ve facing something extraordinary,” says producer Shawn Levy, the director of such hits as “Night at the Museum” and “Real Steel.” “And The Watch is not just unprepared or unqualified, it’s not remotely equipped to deal with this problem; yet it’s all on them to stop it.”

To play the four members of “The Watch,” Levy and director Akiva Schaffer (a creative force on several famed “Saturday Night Live” short films) tapped three comedy icons and a fast-rising talent. “We wanted the best,” says Levy,” and so we went out and got the best – three titans …together in the same movie! And then we threw in the ‘grenade’ of ‘what the hell are you going to get with Richard Ayoade?’”

Beyond the hilarity lies a story about four guys who were not complete, or their best selves, until they joined forces. As Bob admits to Evan: “You took a ragtag group of misfits and taught us there was something bigger than a few beers and some bro-time. You taught us about community and how important it is.”

At its core, “The Watch” is a story with universal appeal, “It’s about four regular guys who might remind you of your brother, dad or husband,” Levy sums up. “Suddenly, they come together to battle something they have absolutely no clue how to deal with.”

And when it comes to friendship, marriage, career, family – or protecting the world – it’s always best to watch out for one another.

“The Watch” opens September 5 in cinemas from 20^th Century Fox to be distributed by Warner Bros.