Modern special effects are astounding. Now more than ever, filmmakers can project their imagination onto the screen, no matter how odd their visions might be. However, when the computer and special effects are stripped away, the end result isn’t as glamorous as people imagine. And a new clip from The Bubble shows exactly how strange a movie looks, once the effects are removed.
Today, Netflix posted a tweet reading: “The making of an effects-heavy movie isn’t always as glamourous,” and attached a clip from their upcoming movie The Bubble.
This clip sees Karen Gillan on a green screen set, furiously jogging on the spot, while two men in foam costumes jog behind her, and making soft growling noises. As this happens, a director feeds Gillan stage directions, prompting her to make various screams and expressions. After this, several other actors are shown performing scenes in front of the green screen, including a very awkward dance number.
However, viewers who thought they were getting a behind-the-scenes look at modern blockbuster franchise movie production might be disappointed; The Bubble is an upcoming meta-comedy, set to premiere on Netflix on April 1st, 2022, with an all-star cast including Karen Gillan, X-Files star David Duchovny, Keegan-Michael Key, Pedro Pascal, British comedy legend Peter Serafinowicz, and Benedict Cumberbatch. The project is directed by Judd Apatow, most known for his work on The 40-Year-Old Virgin. Apatow wrote the screenplay with Pam Brady, best-known for her work with the creators of South Park.
According to the synopsis released by Netflix, the film follows a group of actors who have been hired to perform in the fictional Cliff Beasts 6: The Battle for Everest: Memories of a Requiem, the latest in a long line of shlocky dinosaur-themed movies. However, when the COVID-19 pandemic hits, they’re forced to film this movie differently, and live together in a COVID-safe “bubble” until the film is complete. This causes tensions among the group to rise, especially as some of the actors really don’t want to make the movie.
According to The Hollywood Reporter, sources told them the movie is a parody of the production of Jurassic World: Dominion, which had several setbacks due to the pandemic. However, this hasn’t been publically confirmed by anyone involved in the project.
This clip is the latest salvo in Netflix’s highly meta marketing campaign for this movie. Earlier this month, Netflix posted a fake history of the Cliff Beasts franchise, complete with fictional movie posters for each one. This thread ended with a mock retrospective video, which could easily be mistaken for a real thing if you’re not familiar with the actors involved.
The Bubble is shaping up to be a unique film for the streaming giant. However, the April 1st release date should make viewers sit back and wonder if there is another layer to this already-meta movie.