The current streaming boom means that every platform is trying to secure as many big-name exclusives as possible, be they ones they create themselves or ones made by other studios. This means that it’s becoming more common for movies to skip the theater and head directly to streaming, and today, it was announced that Jennifer Lopez‘s latest film will be taking that exact route.
According to Variety, the American rights to Lopez’s upcoming romantic comedy Shotgun Wedding have been sold to Amazon Prime Video by production studio Lionsgate. When co-star Josh Duhamel signed on to do the picture, Deadline reported that the logline of the film was as follows:
Darcy (Lopez) and Tom (Duhamel) gather their lovable but very opinionated families for the ultimate destination wedding just as the couple begin to get cold feet. And if that wasn’t enough of a threat to the celebration, suddenly everyone’s lives are in danger when the entire party is taken hostage. “Til Death Do Us Part” takes on a whole new meaning in this hilarious, adrenaline-fueled adventure as Darcy and Tom must save their loved ones — if they don’t kill each other first.
The film has had a fascinating production history, as it was initially meant to feature Armie Hammer opposite Lopez. Hammer dropped out last year after allegations of sexual abuse were posted online and Duhamel was ultimately cast. The film was scheduled to land in theaters on June 29, with Amazon Studios already acquiring the international streaming rights for the movie in many key territories.
While speaking to Deadline, Head of Amazon Studios Jennifer Salke had this to say of the film:
“Packed with action, comedy, and a dash of romance, Shotgun Wedding is one of those rare films with something for everyone. With a cast led by Jennifer Lopez and Josh Duhamel, the film is bursting with star power and fantastic performances. We are thrilled to work with the entire filmmaking team to bring this hilarious, multifaceted film to Prime Video audiences around the world.”
Deadline’s editorial director Anthony D’Alessandro said that sources told him that, “Amazon made an offer that was too good for Lionsgate to refuse,” leading to the sale of the film. This isn’t the first time Lionsgate has done this, as the studio previously sold thriller Run to Hulu.
Currently, there is no announced date for when Shotgun Wedding will land on the streamer. Both Variety and Deadline suggest that the film could get a “day and date” theatrical release in select cinemas on the day it lands on Prime Video, but that remains to be seen.
Shotgun Wedding isn’t Lopez’s only scheduled film for 2022. She recently played the lead role in the romantic comedy Marry Me opposite Owen Wilson, which came out in early February and had a simultaneous release in cinemas and on the streaming platform Peacock. Lopez will also feature in The Mother, an action thriller directed by Niki Caro scheduled to be released on Netflix.
