Although the million-dollar prize is a welcoming surprise, it also comes at a cost.
The action comedy, whichalso starsSimu LiuandJohn Cena, will arrive on Prime Video in August.
you’re free to check out the full interview in the video above or the transcript below.
Image via NBC
FEIG: Yeah, I think it was 19.
On the internet, they say 14, and I think it’s more than that.
That show is still as popular as ever.
What do you remember about directing those episodes and being a part of that franchise?
FEIG: I just remember having to work so hard not to laugh and ruin takes.
Steve Carell is so funny.
Image via Prime Video
He kept doing it and I kept laughing so much.
It was so loose because of that documentary style.
That looseness, I think, is why that show endures.
Its just very naturally funny.
Because, as you said, they’re all so funny.
FEIG: It was hard.
It’s my favorite way to do comedy.
I always give a shot to create that environment on my movie sets too.
Stephen Merchant co-created the original UK comedy series with Ricky Gervais.
I know that Greg is developing, I guess it’s a spin-off.
I’m not 100%.
I think it takes place in the same world, but it’s gonna be in a newspaper.
FEIG: That’s what it is.
I have to ask.
If you get called, would you…?
FEIG: I’d always go back and work with that gang.
I’m busy with my movies now, but it’s just too much fun.
Especially if they’re going to do that style, which I’m sure they will.
Paul Feig Almost Passed on ‘Jackpot!’
What’s your logline?
Is this an idea by Donald Trump?
FEIG: He’d like to take credit for it.
I guarantee you that.
No, it’s wild.
It’s a script that got sent to me.
Rob [Yescombe] wrote it.
I’m not gonna read that script.
It’s really funny."
I don’t even care how it ends.
I’m doing this movie."
‘Jackpot!’
I mean, who knows more about choreographing action than John Cena?
They were so excited to get to do comedic action because we’re both Jackie Chan fanatics.
They’re all very daunting because there’s so much going on in them.
That one just makes me laugh because it’s pure physical action.
We didn’t have a lot of time to shoot it.
That was scary, but it’s fun.
Maybe in ways you didn’t expect.
FEIG: We required less jokes than we thought we needed because I always get a ton of jokes.
FEIG: Technically, no, because that’s all part of the filming process.
You don’t sneak in.
But we always take a stab at ensure they’re cool.
Do you know what I mean, though?
FEIG: 100%.
You don’t want a blooper where somebody blows up and calls everybody an asshole or something.
How long ago did you actually finish filmingJackpot!?
Once you finish it, you want everybody to see it, so it’s really weird.
So now this one’s coming out.
It’s fun to not be relying on one thing.
It’s all about that, and then what am I gonna do next?
So, it’s nice that it’s finished.
Now, I’ve got the next thing and the next thing coming up.
Is it a little nice to not worry about the opening weekend box office?
If you want, when you want, watch it at home.
Watch on the biggest thing you’ve got the option to.
I want to talk to you aboutA Simple Favor.
So, how did it actually come together?
FEIG: Well, it’s actually been in the works for a while.
Now I’m just so happy that we did because I think it’s exactly how we wanted it.
We just did a test screening the other night, and we scored very, very high.
People really like it.
What can you tell people in terms of the plot?
FEIG: Not much.
I do know that you shot in Italy, so basically, you got paid to go on vacation.
FEIG: That was the plan.
Then, when you get there, it’s so hard.
But once it’s over, then it’s great.
And I still got to live in Rome and Capri for six months.
That’s what I said!
So you got paid to go on vacation.
You know what’s funny?
It’s like Comic-Con for me.
Everyone’s like, “Oh, you get to go to Comic-Con, and I’m working 24/7.
It’s hard to enjoy it.
You know what I mean?Grateful to be here.
For fans, when do you think they’re gonna get the first images and trailer?
We’re still trying to figure that out.
I don’t know.
Sometimes they want to hang out with these things until the summer to make them big.
Sometimes they want it to go out in the spring.
There are some really fun pictures online of some of Blake [Lively]’s costumes.
The new cast members include a familiar face to fans of the first movie.
When do you have to have your cut done?
When is your due date for everything on the film?
FEIG: I have 10 weeks to do my director’s cut.
So there’s no chance of it coming out this year.
It sounds to me like next summer.
It could even be at SXSW, something along those lines.
FEIG: I love SXSW!
It’s one of my favorite places to show a movie.
I was really bummed that we weren’t able to showJackpot!there.
I really wanted to, but everybody felt it was a little far from the release date.
[Laughs] It’s just because I love seeing it with an audience in a theater.
It’s so much fun.
Listen, I think there’s nothing like seeing a movie in a movie theater.
It’s so cliche, but it’s so true.
FEIG:It’s true.Just have your friends over and watch on the big screen.
It’s about the worst roommate ever, or a bad roommate.
I don’t know the title.
What’s the title?
It’s also a reality series on Netflix right now too.
What was it about the material that said, “Oh, I need to do this?”
FEIG: It’s just a fun, crazyass story.
I love the woman at the center of it.
How can I make things fun, not necessarily comedy, but fun?
I want all my movies to be fun, even if they get dark.
If they get scary, I wanna be fun and kind of uplifting at the end.
What are you envisioning?
FEIG: We wanna push the boundaries.
I like really pushing stuff.
Youll see when you seeA Simple Favor 2.
We pushed the boundaries on that one.
I just wanna push them a little bit.
Let them cook!!!
I don’t know if I’ve ever seen you do Jason Blum-pop in crazy stuff.
Do you know what I mean?
Is it gonna be one of these scary-key in movies?
Is it gonna be fun and scary?
FEIG: It’s gonna be fun and scary.
I love doing R-rated.
We really wanna go kind of nuts with this one.
Obviously, you dont have a script done, so is this definitely your next project?
FEIG: There’s a script.
There’s definitely a script.
We’re just doing rewrites on it right now, but it’ll go sooner than later.
Do you think you’re filming this year?
FEIG: Yeah, and we’ll be prepping this year.
We start shooting at the beginning of next.
Oh, so this is official.
FEIG: This is my next movie.
FEIG: Well, you have to.
You have to get things on the fire.
You have to have a bunch.
But also, when I know what it is, it’s all I care about.
It’s all I think about 24/7.
My team knows once I’m in, that’s it.
The thing that I wish more people knew about is scheduling.
People don’t understand what that word is in Hollywood and how much that messes with so many projects.
People will wonder, “Well, why did this all of a sudden rush into production?
Can you shoot it?”
FEIG: The hardest part of our job is scheduling.
The other thing is that stars now, you get them for a week or two weeks.
We have three weeks worth of work.
How do we do this?
So we’re just constantly mobilizing that.
How can we get them in and out?
How can we make this happen?
You wanna see a picture of what a director really is?
It’s like, “Well, fuck,” on the phone.
That’s all we do.
It’s also different now in terms of digital filmmaking.
It’s just a different way of making movies than a decade ago or two decades ago.
Everyone has to pivot into what’s possible.
FEIG: There’s also a lot of extra stuff on the set.
Now, there are cables and cords and tents and DITs and all this stuff, which is great.
FEIG: We’ve looked into it.
It’s not as easy as it seems like it is.
There’s a lot of cleaning up that happens with it that they don’t really talk about.
I guess I shouldn’t talk about it.
But I mean, I don’t have a stock in it, so what do I get?
It’s not like, “Okay, it’s great,” and then you’re done.
They have to do a lot of cleaning up on it.
I like to have freedom.
You know who I think would be losing his mind for the Volume technology?
FEIG: Oh, no, totally.
I am not such a control freak director.
I’m the opposite.
I’m just like, “What can happen?
Let’s go over here, let’s do this.
Let’s try this.”
Jackpot!will arrive on Prime Video on August 15, 2024 in the U.S.
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