Hollywood’s latest odd-couple experiment might just be its most intriguing yet. Amazon MGM Studios is rolling the dice on what could be 2025’s most unexpected duo — Eddie Murphy and Pete Davidson — in their upcoming action-comedy “The Pickup.” And honestly? The pairing sounds so bizarre it might actually work.
Remember that moment when Danny DeVito and Arnold Schwarzenegger somehow made “Twins” work back in ’88? Amazon’s betting lightning might strike twice here, though this time with a decidedly different flavor. They’ve got Tim Story in the director’s chair — you know, the guy who gave us “Barbershop” and turned Kevin Hart and Ice Cube into an unlikely but golden partnership in “Ride Along.”
The premise? Well, it’s basically “Die Hard” meets “48 Hours” for the TikTok generation. Murphy and Davidson play armored truck drivers caught up in what should’ve been just another day at the office. But here’s where things get interesting — Keke Palmer steps in as Zoe, the mastermind behind whatever chaos is about to unfold. The marketing folks are having a field day with their tagline: “They’re armed, but she’s dangerous.” Cute, right?
Let’s talk about that cast for a second. Beyond the headline-grabbing leads, they’ve assembled quite the roster. Eva Longoria’s in there, along with Marshawn Lynch (yeah, Beast Mode himself), and even WWE’s Roman Reigns — though he’s going by his government name, Joe Anoa’i. Throw in Andrew Dice Clay and Ismael Cruz Córdova, and you’ve got yourself a proper Hollywood gumbo.
The whole setup practically begs for Murphy to dust off that quick-fire wit we all know and love, while Davidson can do his whole millennial-anxiety-meets-deadpan-humor thing. It’s either going to be comedy gold or a spectacular train wreck — and honestly, either way, we’re here for it.
Some industry insider (who’s probably hoping their NDA doesn’t cover anonymous quotes) describes it as a story about “high-risk danger, clashing personalities, and one very bad day that keeps getting worse.” Sounds about right for a summer blockbuster dropping when everyone’s desperate to escape the August heat in their air-conditioned living rooms.
Here’s the thing, though — Amazon’s not just throwing this out there hoping it sticks. Dropping it on Prime Video August 6th, right in the sweet spot of summer streaming season? That’s a power move. They’re betting big on this unlikely generational collision of comedy styles creating something special.
Will it work? Who knows. But in a landscape cluttered with predictable franchises and cookie-cutter action flicks, there’s something refreshingly bold about throwing Murphy and Davidson into the same armored truck and seeing what happens. At the very least, it should be interesting to watch these two try to navigate their way through whatever mayhem Palmer’s character has in store for them.
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