It’s a tale old as time: a huge cultural event is set to debut in a theater near you, and just as the hype is getting intense beyond belief, a comedy movie uses that hype to make a joke at said event’s expense. The tactic definitely works, and as we’re prepared to see Avengers: Endgame unfurl in theaters this weekend, The Hustle would like to remind everyone that it’s not too far off from that very film in some of its aims. Check out their latest trailer, inspired by Marvel’s would-be blockbuster, below:
This trailer for The Hustle does a pretty good job starting out with a pseudo Avengers: Endgame vibe, as the approach of limited coloring in the face of great evil is present. And while they may not have checked with Thor about the usage of his super group’s name “The Revengers,” it’s still a pretty fun callback to Thor: Ragnarok.
Of course, it’s not long before The Hustle returns to its actual plot involving Anne Hathaway’s posh thief teaching Rebel Wilson’s newbie in training how to con the men of the French Rivera out of their money. It's a task that requires disguises, aliases and the occasional act involving simulated murder by means of a shotgun.
The second remake of the film Bedtime Stories, with Dirty Rotten Scoundrels being the most recent reference for director Chris Addison’s latest version, The Hustle feels somewhat familiar, but new enough to lure people into theaters with its charms. But then again, a little bit of fun subterfuge doesn’t hurt, especially when the result is a quick and breezy gag that’ll make including this trailer with this weekend’s Avengers: Endgame all the easier.
Although we have to admit, after sitting on this trailer long enough in our minds, The Hustle’s marketing gimmick has us thinking about another time a comedy took good natured shots at an approaching cultural monolith. See if you can remember this throwback from almost 20 years ago:
Summer 2019 is going to be a pretty crowded affair, and grabbing all the marketing real estate you can is key. Much like Austin Powers: The Spy Who Shagged Me, The Hustle has brought its A-game while spoofing Endgame, and it’ll be up to the audiences watching this trailer to decide whether or not this joke’s good enough to stick around for the punchline.
In the spirit of history, we’d like to remind you that if you’re only seeing one movie this summer, see Avengers: Endgame, which opens this Thursday night. But, if you do see two or more movies, see The Hustle, which will put its money on the box office table on May 10.
