Josh Duhamel was filming a scene within the new action-rom com “Shotgun Wedding ceremony” through which his fiancé, performed by Jennifer Lopez, throws a grenade up within the air. He hits it like a baseball into a nasty man who blows up and units off a show of rainbow-colored fireworks.
“I used to be like, holy (expletive) this film is bonkers,” Duhamel mentioned.
The movie, directed by Jason Moore, begins out like an everyday romantic comedy. Lopez’s Darcy and Duhamel’s Tom are having an enormous vacation spot marriage ceremony on an island. There’s humorous and awkward household dynamics and a charismatic ex-boyfriend reveals up too. And Darcy and Tom discover themselves preventing and about to name off the marriage moments earlier than they’re to stroll down the aisle. Then a band of pirates armed with weapons arrive and takes the marriage occasion hostage.
Lopez, who produced and stars, got here to the Mark Hammer script by means of her producing companion Elaine Goldsmith-Thomas, — they’ve been been making movies collectively since “Maid in Manhattan.”
“She’s form of the architect of careers,” Lopez mentioned. “We do actually form of take into consideration not simply what we need to do, however what the viewers would take pleasure in or what the world wants at totally different instances. I even do this as an artist with my albums and the issues I need to put out on the planet as a message.”
“Shotgun Wedding ceremony,” streaming Friday on Prime Video, was not only a enjoyable style mash up in a slick package deal, Lopez preferred the concept her character was getting married for the primary time at an “older age” and that Tom was the “groomzilla,” obsessive about the main points and logistics of planning the fete.
It took, she mentioned, “Various things that individuals don’t consider as standard and regular and making that factor common and acceptable.”
The movie was not precisely a tough promote for anybody concerned. From Cheech Marin, who performs Darcy’s billionaire father, to Jennifer Coolidge, as Tom’s very regular Midwestern mom, everybody mainly heard “Jennifer Lopez” and “Dominican Republic shoot” and signed up.
“It was a humorous script,” Coolidge mentioned. “We had a desk learn on the very starting and I keep in mind it was such a very good desk learn. I keep in mind considering, ‘Oh my God, that is going to be actually enjoyable.’”
There was a hitch earlier than they obtained to the island. Armie Hammer had been initially set to play Tom however he stepped away from the venture after misconduct allegations surfaced, which he has denied. They have been two weeks into prep and a pivotal function wanted to be recast. Moore, a Broadway veteran, didn’t panic.
“There’s all the time a second when the understudy has to go on,” Moore mentioned. “It all the time works out. … There have been a few days of ‘Oh boy’ and it yielded one thing much more great.”
Duhamel had been on Moore’s shortlist and had been pleasant with Lopez for years.
“He’s an extremely good-looking Forties film star who’s not afraid to look susceptible and foolish,” Moore mentioned. Duhamel and Lopez spoke over Zoom and determined it was a go.
“You actually do want a sure form of chemistry,” Lopez mentioned. “This was not simply romantic comedy chemistry. It’s extra, , trusting one another and doing actions and doing stunts and in addition broad comedy. It was rather a lot.”
“It was so a lot better than I even imagined,” Lopez added. “We have been similar to proper on the identical wavelength.”
Coolidge additionally authorised.
“They’re so enjoyable to have a look at,” Coolidge mentioned. “You already know, you need to see every little thing … you need to see them get collectively. You’re interested in each individuals and then you definitely watch them, , be attracted to one another.”
However in fact pirates get in the way in which of a few of that, and in addition promptly drive the marriage friends to face in a pool as their hostages whereas they attempt to discover the preventing bride and groom. It was a number of time partially submerged in water with a couple of dozen different individuals.
“I’m in all probability not purported to say, however we didn’t change the water the entire time we have been taking pictures,” mentioned Coolidge.
D’Arcy Carden, who performs Marin’s new-agey and far youthful girlfriend, mentioned these 20 some days have been a bit of humbling.
Marin and Steve Coulter, who performed Coolidge’s husband, would even generally take naps of their soaking moist fits subsequent to 1 one other, of which Carden says she has photographic proof.
However apart from soggy sneakers for 2 weeks, Carden mentioned it was “as dreamy a scenario as you can be in.”
A lot of the forged even lived collectively in a large home and would exit collectively most nights, which translated right into a family-like ambiance on set.
“It was like this bizarre type of film dorm,” Duhamel mentioned. “However with a spa and a scorching tub and a pool and a seashore.”
Lenny Kravitz, as Darcy’s ex-boyfriend, even flies in (in a helicopter) to disrupt issues.
“He’s an amplified type of ridiculous model of, , a tiny a part of what individuals suppose I’m,” mentioned Kravitz, a longtime good friend of Lopez’s.
Moore wished to ensure that the movie regarded “massive and James Bond and lux. Typically motion rom coms can look form of small,” he mentioned.
And all have been impressed by Lopez, who doesn’t act the “film star” half on set. Throughout a day filming scenes on a small boat within the open water, Lopez went into producer mode and determined they didn’t want an additional boat for her make-up individual to be on the market with them. She might do her make-up herself. And he or she nailed it, Moore mentioned.
“She is a mogul and a producer and a storyteller, an actress, a singer and an excellent bodily comedienne,” Moore mentioned. “She’s obtained self-discipline and she or he’s obtained inventive finesse which is an excellent combo. She actually can do every little thing.”
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Observe AP Movie Author Lindsey Bahr: www.twitter.com/ldbahr.
