The first official trailer has dropped for Jamie Foxx and Snoop Dogg's upcoming vampire-hunting action-comedy Day Shift, a film centered on vampire hunting as a blue-collar job.
Day Shift was first announced by Netflix in October of 2020 and production took place in the summer of 2022. Netflix had previously released a photo from Day Shift, hinting at what to expect from the vampire hunting story. Today, the first official trailer finally dropped, a month before the film’s release date.
In the Day Shift trailer, Foxx is Reid, a blue-collar dad doing whatever odd jobs (literally) he can to provide a good life for his daughter. Oddest of all is his main source of income: vampire hunting. In need of cash, Reid gets approval from the vampire-hunting union to move from the night shift to the more dangerous day shift so he can make more money. The trailer shows Reid, masquerading as a pool cleaner, hunting down vampires in slick, tightly choreographed action sequences using both guns and hand-to-hand combat. There is also genuine comedy between Reid and his associates, played by Snoop Dogg and actor Dave Franco.
Day Shift will be the directorial debut of actor, stunt coordinator, and fight choreographer J. J. Perry. The transition from stunt/choreography work to directing is reminiscent of Chad Stahelski, who did the same with his hugely successful John Wick film series. Indeed, Day Shift's first trailer plays up this angle, by displaying the text, “From the guys who taught John Wick how to kick ass.”
Netflix is likely hoping to create a similar franchise with this film, as the fight choreography is impressively executed in the style of John Wick. It is perhaps not surprising that the film is co-written by Tyler Tice and by Shay Hatten, who wrote John Wick: Chapter 3 – Parabellum and John Wick: Chapter 4, as well as last year’s horror-themed Netflix action film, Army of the Dead.
This will be Foxx's first action role since Baby Driver 5 years ago. Since then, Foxx has taken several successful roles in dramatic and animated films like Just Mercy, Soul, and Spider-Man: No Way Home. For Snoop Dogg, this is a major role. Although the musician is a frequent actor, he mostly receives low-profile roles such as in The Spongebob Movie: Sponge on the Run and independent art film director Harmony Korine's The Beach Bum. Franco's role will continue his streak as a comic relief sidekick.
Day Shift hits Netflix on August 12, 2022.
Source: Netflix/YouTube