Coming off the success of his new movie “Night School,” which became the No. 1 comedy at the box office since last year’s “Girls Trip,” Kevin Hart is ready to show his more dramatic side.
STXFilms, on Wednesday, released the first trailer for dramedy “The Upside,” in which Hart plays an unemployed, down-on-his-luck man with a criminal record who goes to work as a caretaker for a wealthy paraplegic (Bryan Cranston).
The trailer for “The Upside” teases a tender and deep relationship between the unlikely pair, which is sure to pull at audiences’ heartstrings. Hart will offer some levity and comedy as well.
STXFilms Chairman Adam Fogelson said in announcing the studio had acquired the film, that: “This is a hilariously funny and emotionally affecting film. It evokes elements of films like ‘Trading Places’ and ‘Scent of a Woman.’”
The film also stars Nicole Kidman, Julianna Margulies and Aja Naomi King.
“The Upside” is a remake of the adored 2011 French film “The Intouchables,” starring François Cluzet and Omar Sy. That version grossed $416 million overseas and surprised some award watchers when it failed to make the shortlist for foreign-language Oscar recognition. “The Upside,” which premiered at the 2017 Toronto International Film Festival, did stoke some awards talk of its own before being stained by The Weinstein Co. name.
The film was among the prized unreleased films The Weinstein Co. still owned when the company filed for bankruptcy in March, following a multitude of sexual misconduct accusations against disgraced movie mogul Harvey Weinstein. “The Upside” was turned over to Lantern Entertainment when the company bought TWC out of bankruptcy in May.
Lantern partnered with STX Entertainment to distribute the film, which is set to hit theaters on Jan. 11 — not in time for recognition in the 91st Oscars airing next February.
“The Upside” is an Escape Artists production. Producers are Jason Blumenthal, Todd Black and Steve Tisch.