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Texas–obligatory pause to let Texans hoot and holler–the very mention evokes imagery, colors, and emotion. Cowboy hats, cowboy boots, cacti, and dirt are a few of the obvious ornaments of one of the largest, most diverse states in the good ol’ USA. Food and humor are also hallmarks of a state all too often condensed into one archetype. Texas has a reputation for its resilience, its pride, and its prejudice. Don’t mess with Texas, or so the saying goes. That monicker might as well be the tagline for B.J. Novak’s (The Office) feature directorial debut, Vengeance. Novak was a writer, producer, director, and star in Greg Daniels' adaptation of The Office throughout the entirety of its run. He’s directed a few episodes of television since the show ended almost a decade ago, and the multifaceted artist is ready to adapt his talents for the big screen with Vengeance.
Vengeance is a dark comedy/whodunnit steeped in its Texas setting. It recently received a pastel poster evocative of an old western oil painting just ahead of its release at the end of the month. For more about this fish-out-of-water southern dramedy and where to watch it, check out the breakdown below.
When Is the Vengeance Release Date?
Vengeance arrives exclusively in theaters on July 29, 2022. Considering You Were Never Alone, Downton Abbey: A New Era, and The Northman all–distributed by Focus Features this year–appeared on Peacock within a couple of months after their theatrical premiere, Vengeance very well may be on Peacock before October.
Watch the Vengeance Trailer
The trailer offers a first look at all the dirt, heart, and Texan accouterment fans can expect in this tale of love and death. Watch it here:
What Is Vengeance About?
Vengeance follows Ben Manalowitz (Novak) on a trip from Manhattan to rural Texas to attend his dead ex-girlfriend’s funeral. The writer gets enticed by the deceased’s family to aid in investigating the declared overdose as a homicide, and he publishes a podcast surrounding their armchair detective escapades. His skepticism caves to curiosity as the mounting evidence suggests something was overlooked, or deliberately obfuscated in the case of Abilene’s OD.
The Tribeca Film Festival announced Vengeance as a centerpiece program of the festival in June. Vengeance premiered at the film festival to a warm reception a little more than a month before its release date. Written, directed by, and starring B.J. Novak, Vengeance represents another step in Blumhouse Productions' efforts to expand its brand to more than paranormal pictures. Focus Features is distributing the film, capping off the summer with a star-studded murder mystery set in the desert. On the subject of the cast…
Who Is in the Cast of Vengeance?
As previously indicated, Novak Stars as Ben Manalowitz. While Novack has stayed steadily busy with acting and or directing jobs, he also debuted a new anthology series as a part of FX on Hulu in 2021 called The Premise. The Premise takes hot-button topics and issues from our time and displays them through an exaggerated, hypothetical, hilariously twisted narrative starring a different cast every episode. The five-episode season is streaming currently available on Hulu.
Sharing (possibly leading) in the investigative journey as Ty Shaw is Boyd Holbrook. Holbrook broke through to mainstream audiences in Logan, with his precise performance as the menacing mercenary, Pierce. Since then, Holbrook has teamed with fan-favorite writer-directors including Shane Black (The Predator), Jim Mickle (In the Shadow of the Moon), and Sean Ellis (The Cursed). Holbrook appeared in the second episode of The Premise titled, "Moment of Silence". Holbrook recently sat down with Collider to discuss working with B.J. Novak, Jon Bernthal, and the surrealism of watching himself perform–some spoilers for "Moment of Silence" to follow. Once again under Novak’s direction and reciting his script, Holbrook receives another opportunity to flex his comedic acting chops. Keep an eye out for his upcoming appearances in the long-gestating series based on Neil Gaiman’s The Sandman on Netflix coming later in 2022, and catch him in the upcoming Indiana Jones 5–directed by James Mangold (Logan)–expected in 2023.
Issa Rae crops up for her only announced film appearance of the year as Eloise, the owner of a successful podcasting company. Eloise is enticed by Manalowitz’s tale of death, Texas, and accusations. She buys the story, published as a podcast, and funds Manalowitz’s escapades in the deep south. Rae returns to the writer’s chair for Rap Sh!t, a new comedic series expected to arrive on HBO Max on July 21, 2022. Rae serves as Executive Producer and is currently credited as the writer of the first as well as the eighth–potentially last–episode of the season. The new trailer arrived just ahead of the series, so catch a brief look at what to expect before the series arrives this summer.
Ashton Kutcher drops in for a rare appearance on the big screen as Quenten Sellers, a cult of personality the trailer paints as a prime suspect in the investigation concerning the death of Abilene. Kutcher has always kept busy on television with starring roles in That ‘70s Show, Punk’d, Two and a Half Men, The Ranch, and now the animated series Stoner Cats–a series in which he shares the spotlight with his wife, Mila Kunis (Black Swan). Kutcher is slated to return to the big screen again this year in Your Place or Mine, a new rom-com written and directed by Aline Brosh McKenna. McKenna served as a writer on The Devil Wears Prada, 27 Dresses, and Cruella, to name a few. Kutcher also stars in The Long Home, James Franco’s newest picture. That ‘70s Show fans get a look a Kutcher and co. set to return to their old roles in That ‘90s Show, due out within the next year.
Lio Tipton stars as the resident dead girl, Abilene. Lio is an exceptionally busy actor right now. Along with four announced credits in 2022 including Vengeance, they also have five projects in various stages of development, including an appearance alongside their co-star Ashton Kutcher in The Long Home. Other stars appearing in the movie include Dove Cameron as Kansas City Shaw, Isabella Amara as Paris Shaw, J. Smith-Cameron as Sharon Shaw, John Mayer as John, Elli Abrams Bickel as El Stupido Shaw, Louanne Stephens as Granny Carole Shaw, and Zach Villa as Sancholo.
For more like Vengeance, check out the dark, comedic, contemporary anthology series by the same writer/director called The Premise on Hulu. And don’t miss Vengeance when it hits theaters on July 29, 2022.