The horror genre has seen everything from terrifying dolls to Ouija boards. The practice of twisting viewers’ sights to entice fear is something that has been done on screen for years. One of these concepts has been used over and over again -- vampires. These classic creatures with their pointed teeth have graced the big screens for decades. Each version of these night stalkers has its own unique take on the classic tale. One of the newest creature features is Netflix's Day Shift.
Vampires have been portrayed in numerous ways, from cunning villains to immortal romantic lovers. Day Shift is a comedy action-adventure more focused on hunting these creatures. Vampire hunting movies are nothing new to Hollywood, as films and shows such as Blade or Buffy the Vampire Slayer prove. Throughout time, they have remained a favorite fan monster.
Produced by Netflix, Day Shift is directed by J. J. Perry. This will be his feature debut as a director, but he is known for his stunt work on films such as John Wick. The story is written by Shay Hatten and Tyler Tice, who have worked with Netflix on Army of the Dead. The film is produced by Chad Stahelski, who also worked on John Wick with J.J Perry.
Here is everything to know about the upcoming film.
Day Shift: The Plot
The film follows Bud Jablonski, a father living in L.A. with his wife and daughter, working as a pool cleaner by day and a vampire hunter by night. Netflix’s official synopsis states:
A hard-working, blue-collar dad who just wants to provide a good life for his quick-witted 8-year-old daughter. His mundane San Fernando Valley pool cleaning job is a front for his real source of income: hunting and killing vampires.
Speaking about the film during Netflix's Geeked Week, Jamie Foxx describes Day Shift as having “popcorn moments” where viewers will be memorized by the action stunt screens that the director and producer bring to this film. Foxx states that the scenes are not only fun to watch but will be practical. This practical approach to vampire hunting will only heighten the believability of an average pool cleaner's ability to kill the undead.
The Geeked Week clip teases that there is a new take on vampires. Viewers have seen different takes on vampires, such as sparkling vampires of Twilight, magical vampires, and deadly day walkers. The clip sets the scenes for an action-packed film full of groovy outfits, fangs, and big chases.
The trailer highlights these action scenes and shows a fun, bright world of secret societies and high-risk fighting. It appears that Bud is no longer a member of the secret society that the film is introducing, but he still hunts for money to support his family. His character interacts with a young businessman played by David Franco, who has no knowledge of vampires. He is also seen fighting alongside Snoop Dogg’s character, a fellow vampire hunter. It is truly shaping up to be an interesting vampire flick.
J.J Perry spoke to Vanity Fair about the direction of the plot and stated that he made it a reflection of his own life experience. In the interview, the new director stated:
“I made Jamie’s character as much like me as I could, so he’s an ex-Army guy. I was an infantryman. He came to L.A. and he’s a guy that gets in over his head, a lot like I do, but he has to be able to get himself out of trouble. I have a nine-year-old daughter. He has a daughter."
Day Shift: The Cast
The film stars Jamie Foxx as the main role of Bud Jablonski. His daughter is played by Zion Broadnax in her feature film debut. Among the other cast members there are Snoop Dogg, Karla Souza (How to Get Away with Murder), Dave Franco (21 Jump Street), Scott Adkins (Undisputed 2), and Natasha Liu Bordizzo (Netflix's Crouching Tiger, Hidden Dragon: Sword of Destiny), and Steve Howey (Shameless).
From the first look, trailer, and set photos, it appears Jamie Foxx is working alongside Snoop Dogg and Dave Franco to slay vampires. Details about these characters have not been released. The cast of the film has fans excited. Jamie Foxx and Snoop Dogg is a combination that fans have not seen before, but with both of their backgrounds will surely be a perfect duo. The director and producer of this film have brought together a cast of characters with backgrounds in stunt work and comedy.
Release Date
Day Shift will release on Netflix on Friday, August 12, 2022. Fans can set a reminder for the film on Netflix and have their popcorn waiting. Despite the film being a month away, Netflix is expected to release new looks and details. Meanwhile, there are always classic vampire movies while we wait!