The Watch (2012 film)

The Watch (previously known as Neighborhood Watch) is a 2012 American science fiction comedy film directed by Akiva Schaffer and written by Jared Stern, Seth Rogen, and Evan Goldberg. It stars Ben Stiller, Vince Vaughn, Jonah Hill, and Richard Ayoade. The film follows Evan (Stiller), Bob (Vaughn), Franklin (Hill), and Jamarcus (Ayoade), a group of neighbors who form a suburban neighborhood watch group. When they uncover an alien plot threatening the world, they are forced into action. The film is the final film role of R. Lee Ermey, who died on April 15, 2018.
The film began its development in 2008 under producer Shawn Levy as a teen-targeted project written by Jared Stern. Between 2009 and late 2010 it saw different directors and stars join the project until November 2010, when it moved in a new direction under Rogen and Goldberg (who rewrote the script for an adult audience). Filming began in October 2011 in the state of Georgia, concluding in January 2012.
The film's marketing campaign was affected by the 2012 shooting of Trayvon Martin by a neighborhood-watch member. As a result, the campaign was refocused on the alien premise instead of the film leads and the film's title was changed from Neighborhood Watch to The Watch. Released on July 27, 2012, the film grossed $68.3 million on a $68 million budget. It received generally negative reviews, with critics focusing on the plotting, frequent "vulgar and offensive" jokes and numerous product placements. However, Hill and Ayoade's performances were more positively received.
Category:Films