What’s harder than making a movie during a global pandemic? Uh, lots of stuff. Like, a ton of way more important stuff. But that’s why the premise of Judd Apatow‘s next film is ripe for laughs. Netflix’s The Bubble follows a group of famous, egotistical actors shooting a movie under less than ideal circumstances. They’re all quarantined and working in an attempt to save their studio during a global crisis. And the (actual) movie’s first trailer shows that that nothing can stop a successful franchise from beating a dead horse. Or in this case, from beating a dead Cliff Beast.
Now that is a fantastic trailer. Of course, this is really a trailer for two films. One is the fictional Cliff Beasts 6: The Battle For Everest: Memories of a Requim. (Perfect title. No notes.) Netflix already released a full promo for the sixth installment of that imaginary franchise. The fake film even has its own official logline: “Humankind is threatened once again by a dinosaur species: Cliff Beasts. The team must reunite, after 5 long years, to battle the Cliff Beasts – but this time on Mount Everest.”
We would very much like to see that movie. As well as its previous five entries. (Cliff Beasts in space!)
But this trailer is really for the meta comedy The Bubble. It follows a group of actors, filmmakers, and producers as they try to shoot a big budget, CGI-heavy, action-packed film about flying dinosaurs, all while being quarantined together. And all the absurdity of this trailer shows why it might be the best COVID-related movie premise yet.
The Bubble, directed by Judd Apatow with a script from him and Pam Brady, also boasts a cast worthy of a mega franchise. (Though Cliff Beasts is technically marketed as only the “23rd largest Dino franchise ever.”) It stars Karen Gillan, Fred Armisen, Maria Bakalova, David Duchovny, Keegan-Michael Key, Leslie Mann, Pedro Pascal, Peter Serafinowicz, Kate McKinnon, and Iris Apatow. As well as Vir Das, Rob Delaney, Galen Hopper, Samson Kayo, Guz Khan, Nick Kocher, Ross Lee, Harry Trevaldwyn, and Danielle Vitalis. (We’re not sure if Benedict Cumberbatch is technically a part of the cast, though.)
Fittingly for a comedy about making an absurd movie, The Bubble debuts on Netflix April 1. At least, we’re pretty sure it will. Considering how Netflix has promoted this it would be a pretty amazing prank if this whole thing is an April Fools’ joke.