Sony Pictures has revealed the first trailer for Connected. This is the latest from filmmaking duo Phil Lord and Chris Miller, who were behind the Oscar-winning Spider-Man: Into the Spider-Verse. Lord and Miller have teamed up with first-time director Mike Rianda for what looks to be an inventive take on the classic road trip comedy. This one comes complete with a cute dog and a robot invasion.
The trailer kicks off with the image of a happy family, whose daughter is getting ready to go off to college. She's eager to leave, but her father is sad to see her go. Instead of flying, they decide to take a road trip at the last possible second. There are Vacation vibes and, for fans of The Simpsons, once the robots get involved, the episode Itchy and Scratchy Land certainly comes to mind. Overall, it looks to be funny, heartfelt and right in line with what we've come to expect from a Lord and Miller production.
Mike Rianda co-wrote the screenplay alongside Jeff Rowe. Rianda hasn't directed a feature before, but he previously worked on the hit animated show Gravity Falls. As for the cast, it is quite impressive. Abbi Jacobson (Broad City, Disenchanted), Danny McBride (The Righteous Gemstones, Pineapple Express), Maya Rudolph (Bridesmaids, Saturday Night Live), Eric Andre (The Eric Andre Show, The Lion King) and Oscar-winner Olivia Colman (The Favourite, Hot Fuzz).
Connected centers on Katie Mitchell (Abbi Jacobson), a creative outsider who is accepted into the film school she's been dreaming of. Her plans to meet new like-minded people at college are upended when her dad Rick (Danny McBride) decides that the family should drive Katie to school together for one last shared bonding experience. Katie and Rick are joined by the rest of the family, including Katie's positive mom Linda (Maya Rudolph), her little brother Aaron (Mike Rianda) and the family's chubby pug Monchi for this last-minute family road trip.
Their plans are thrown into utter chaos by a tech uprising all around the world. Electronic devices people love, from phones, to appliances, to an innovative new line of personal robots, decide to take over. With the help of two malfunctioning robots, the family will need to sort out their issues and work together to save each other, and the world.
Phil Lord and Chris Miller have become sought-after talent in Hollywood. The pair directed 21 Jump Street and 22 Jump Street, which landed them a job directing Solo: A Star Wars Story. They unceremoniously parted ways with the production near the end of filming, but they've managed to rebound in a big way. Spider-Man: Into the Spider-Verse as a massive, critically-heralded hit, with a sequel on the way. Things worked out just fine, it would seem. Plus, they've got this on the books. Connected is set to hit theaters on September 18 from Sony Pictures. Be sure to check out the trailer for yourself.
