Summary
John Cena and Awkwafina return to the world of action comedies in the firstJackpot!trailer. Awkwafina leads the star-studded cast as Katie, an aspiring actor who moves to 2030 Los Angeles and finds herself the winner of the Grand Lottery, though doesn’t realize this pits her as the target for anyone to kill her by sundown and claim her multi-billion dollar jackpot. Cena stars inJackpot!as Noel Cassidy, a lottery protection agent who works to keep Katy alive from a variety of foes, including his high-profile rival, Simu Liu’s Louis Lewis.
With just over a month remaining until the movie’s release,Amazon MGM Studioshas unveiled the firstJackpot!trailer.
The video, as seen above, introduces viewers to Awkwafina’s bright-eyed Katie as she quickly learns the dangers of the near-future California city’s Grand Lottery and the various foes looking to kill her. The trailer also highlights the buddy comedy chemistry between Awkwafina and Cena throughout the movie, as well as the latter’s various fighting skills he uses to protect her.
Jackpot Could Redeem Cena’s 2023 Action-Comedy Flop
Though Awkwafina has retained a largely Fresh streak on Rotten Tomatoes over the past five years with her leading roles, Cena has endured a decidedly up-and-down trend of critical reviews, ranging from the highs ofThe Suicide SquadandBumblebeeto the lows ofVacation Friends 2andHidden Strike. But one of the bigger disappointments in his recent filmography thatJackpotcan more than make up for isthe 2023 action-comedy,Freelance. Co-starring Alison Brie, the movie was one of the worst-reviewed of Cena’s career, currently sitting at a 10% approval rating from critics. Check out howFreelance’s RT scores compare to other recent Cena efforts below:
15%
76%
59%
82%
90%
54%
57%
35%
71%
56%
84%
88%
83%
24%
55%
95%
19%
39%
10%
70%
33%
72%
47%
One of the biggest reasons whyJackpot!could put Cena back on the right track in the world of action comedies is having Paul Feig in the director’s chair. While primarily best known for his work in the comedy genre, Feig has previously found success for blending humor with exciting action, particularly through the buddy comedy formula with the Sandra Bullock and Melissa McCarthy-ledThe Heat. Given Feig himself is on the hunt for a Rotten Tomatoes redemption following the muted responses toLast ChristmasandThe School for Good & Evil, returning to a genre he’s found success in before could prove a welcome return to form.
Every Melissa McCarthy & Paul Feig Movie Ranked
Since Paul Feig launched Melissa McCarthy’s movie star career with Bridesmaids, the two have collaborated on three more comedies.
The other major benefits both Cena and Feig have heading intoJackpot!’s release is their collaboration with both Awkwafina and Simu Liu. Both actors have already found success together with the Marvel Cinematic Universe’sShang-Chi and the Legend of the Ten Rings, but the former, in particular, has frequently garnered acclaim in buddy-centric comedies, includingthe recently releasedQuiz Lady, which she also produced, andKung Fu Panda 4, getting to play opposite Jack Black once again afterJumanji: The Next Level. With so many promising creatives behind the title and a unique concept driving it,Jackpot!could be more than just a crowdpleasing adventure.
Jackpot!
Cast
In a near-future California, the state introduces a high-stakes “Grand Lottery” with a deadly twist: to claim the prize, the winner must survive until sundown without being killed by other participants. The action-comedy follows Katie, a recent Los Angeles transplant played by Awkwafina, who finds herself with a winning ticket.
