Jake Johnson’s feature directorial debut, titled “Self Reliance,” is coming to Hulu on Sept. 8. The streamer will launch the comedy thriller, written and starring the “Minx” and “New Girl” star, as a Hulu original.
Hulu acquired the film in a deal with MRC and Paramount Global Distribution after fierce competition following its debut at the SXSW Film Festival in March. The logline for the film reads: “When a man is offered a million dollars to play a game in which hunters try to kill him, he thinks he has found the perfect loophole: they can only attack when he’s alone. His only problem is that none of his friends or family believe the game is real.”
Along with Johnson, the film stars Anna Kendrick, Natalie Morales, Andy Samberg, GaTa (“Dave”), Emily Hampshire (“Schitt’s Creek”), Mary Holland, Boban Marjanović, Christopher Lloyd and Wayne Brady.
Johnson has had a big summer so far following the box-office success of “Spider-Man: Across the Spider-Verse,” in which he voiced the role of Peter B. Parker/Spider-Man. He will also star and executive produces in Season 2 of “Minx,” set to premiere July 21 on Starz after it was rescued from cancellation at HBO Max. He rose to fame in the role of Nick Miller on “New Girl,” for which he was nominated for the Critics’ Choice Television Award for best actor in a comedy series in 2013.
Films featuring other notable Johnson roles include “Let’s Be Cops,” “Paper Heart,” “Safety Not Guaranteed,” “21 Jump Street,” “Jurassic World,” “The Mummy” and “Tag.”
“Self Reliance” is produced by Lonely Island and Walcott Productions, while Ali Bell, Joe Hardesty and Johnson serve as producers. Executive producers include Andy Samberg, Akiva Schaffer and Jorma Taccone.
