WadzilladirectorAdam Rifkinis gearing up for yet another eclectic production, accompanied this time by a star-studded cast that will include the somewhat infamousJames Francoalongside a plethora of other household names. EntitledToad, the upcoming project has been described as “a psychedelic stoner comedy” that will put viewers at the center of a trippy, drug-fueled odyssey to Las Vegas and beyond.
Rifkin’sToadfollows the shenanigans of Alex and Sam, two down-on-their-luck stoners who end up in the service of menacing crime lord Charles (Robinson), and are subsequentlypressured into transporting a mysterious package from LA to Vegas. When Alex and Sam decide to take a peek inside the box, they discover live, psychedelic “acid” toads which promptly begin to overheat, leaving our hapless protagonist duo no option but to perform mouth-to-mouth resuscitation. As a result, Alex and Sam are dosed with extreme amounts of the toads' psychedelic ooze, transforming a simple trip to Vegas into a, well,tripto Vegas. Guided by a life-sized talking toad, Alex and Sam encounter more than a few offbeat characters, including a biker gang, a maniacal French chef, and a sex cult — all of whom want to seize the psychedelic amphibians for their own purposes.
Starring James Paxton fromTwistersand voice actor Oliver Wyman as the lovable stoner duo, and including Tiffany Haddish (GirlsTrip), Katt Williams (Scary Movie V), Christopher Meloni (Law and Order), and Craig Robinson (The Office; Brooklyn Nine-Nine),Toadis set to be an absurdly surreal comedy, perDeadline, that’s a perfect escape from the drudgery of everyday life.
When discussing the film, producer Brad Wyman stated: “Adam Rifkin’s entire career has prepared him for directingToad. It’s that offbeat, almost surreal type of comedy where the absurdity of the situations and characters escalate to ridiculous levels, making it impossible not to laugh out loud.”
Rifkin also praised the cast and crew of his production, saying, “I believe the producers … have done an incredible job of securing top-notch talent that will really drive this story forward and make viewers belly laugh.”
Rifkin’s ‘Toad’is the antidote motion picture audiences are seeking right now.
Although the optimism surroundingToadcertainly seems promising — and the description of the film itself is a comedic breath of fresh air — the decision to cast Franco in a yet-unspecified role may end up affectingToad’s potential success. Once a blockbuster movie star,Franco’s career took a nose-divewhen he was confronted by multiple allegations of sexual misconductby former students as well as a 17-year-old girl. Franco eventually admitted to the allegations, settling a lawsuit in 2021, and keeping a relatively low profile after the fact.
While Franco has appeared in a handful of films in the last few years,he still hasn’t managed to avoid further controversy. Although no additional reports of sexual misconduct have been made, he received intense backlash for choosing to work with Vincent Gallo — a man who has also been accused of inappropriate and harmful behavior towards women — onThe Policeman.Franco also faced criticism after being cast as Fidel Castro inAlina of Cuba, as Franco was a white man attempting to portray a Latino person.
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James Franco and Anne Hathaway hosted the 2011 Academy Awards, which was met with less-than-desirable reviews.
It’s unclear if these controversies will continue to harm Franco’s image, since he has consistently managed to secure work in spite of them. Although he’s not topping the charts anytime soon,films likeThe PolicemanandAlina of Cubaare still relatively mainstream, demonstrating his longevity in the industry despite his past behavior. Clearly, the producers and casting crew behindToadare willing to excuse Franco’s previous actions as well — but audiences may not feel the same way, throwingToad’s success into question despite the strength of its premise and cast.
