With the Scary Movie franchise largely direct-to-DVD now, the comedy world needs something to replace it. Enter Hell Baby, the new raunchy horror parody from Thomas Lennon and Robert Ben Garant (of Reno 911!). With the red band trailer coming today, we can finally see what the pair have in store for us.
Rob Corddry and Leslie Bib star as an expectant couple that just moved into a haunted house in New Orleans. They enlist the services of the Vatican’s exorcist team, played by Lennon and Garant, to save them from a crazed demon that inhabits the house and, presumably, their unborn child. Keegan Michael Key (Key And Peele), Michael Ian Black (Wet Hot American Summer) and Rob Huebel (The Descendants) are likewise on hand to provide laughs in between those of Corddry and Co.
I hate judging a movie based solely on its trailer, but as one YouTube commenter said, they usually put the best laughs in the trailer and this does not bode well for Hell Baby. There are pot jokes, devil jokes, and blatant references to The Exorcist, The Omen and Rosemary’s Baby. There’s a scene where a mother apparently beats the hell (ha!) out of her newborn too. All of which could potentially be funny, but as it is Hell Baby just looks like a latter day Scary Movie. I guess I was hoping for more from the Reno 911! team.
That’s my opinion, but you can judge for yourself. Be warned that this is the red band trailer, and as such is NSFW. Not much sex, just a lot of swearing and drug use.
Hell Baby already premiered at the 2013 Sundance Film Festival. It will be on iTunes July 25th and then on a limited run in theatres September 6th. Check out the trailer below and let us know what you think in the comments.