It’s important to note that while the July 4 weekend feels like the crowning jewel of the summer blockbuster season, there are still plenty of interesting and exciting movies on the slate to look forward to. Like most seasons, the summer session is frontloaded. But Hollywood has held such potential gems as Pacific Rim, The Wolverine, Elysium and The World’s End for summer’s second half, and it’s Edgar Wright’s sci-fi-tinged comedy that has our attention at the moment.
A new featurette posted to Yahoo UK takes us behind the scenes of World’s End with interviews with Simon Pegg and Nick Frost as they head into their third collaboration with the cult-fave director. For those unaware, this trio previously delivered Shaun of the Dead and Hot Fuzz, with The World’s End promising a conclusion to a trilogy of similarly-themed won’t-grow-up comedies. Hopefully this isn’t their final film together, though, because audiences who are in tune with their senses of humor likely could stomach several more films from these unique minds.
The cast throws the word “genius” around often on the clip. Would you go that far? Those who adore Wright’s Scott Pilgrim might back the claim. And while I think Shaun and Fuzz are drop dead funny, would I go so far as to apply the “genius” tag to Wright as a filmmaker?
Wright’s in a unique position at the moment. There are those who love his comedies, who are anticipating World’s End because it’s the next absurd story from the guys behind Shaun. And then there are the Marvel Studios junkies who associate Wright with the Ant-Man movie that has been rumored and promised. The latter project could elevate Wright to Whedon status, turning him into a household name. But that’s a double-edged sword for those of us who prefer that he stay in England, making offbeat but entertaining comedies like the ones he has created with Pegg and Frost … the movies that turned him into a storyteller worth following in the first place.
For the moment, we’ll cherish World’s End for the fun ride we think that it’s going to be. To prepare, embark on this virtual tour of the pub crawl that’s challenging Pegg, Frost and the World’s End boys. Then get in line for the film, which opens in U.S. theaters on Aug. 23.
