‘Neighborhood Watch’ Teaser Pulled from Florida Theaters in Wake of Trayvon Martin Case
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C Flanigan/FilmMagic(LOS ANGELES) — A teaser trailer and poster for Neighborhood Watch, an upcoming summer comedy starring Ben Stiller, Vince Vaughn and Jonah Hill, have been pulled from Florida theaters in light of the Trayvon Martin case, according to The Hollywood Reporter.
The film, scheduled to be released July 27, revolves around a neighborhood watch group attempting to thwart an alien invasion. A poster of the film depicts a neighborhood watch sign featuring the silhouette of an alien. The sign is damaged by what appears to be bullet holes.
In the teaser trailer, which has been included with screenings of Hill’s film 21 Jump Street, Stiller, Vaughn and Hill are seen patrolling a neighborhood inside an SUV. At one point, Hill’s character mimics a shooting motion using his empty hand.
A rep for 20th Century Fox, the studio behind Neighborhood Watch, told The Hollywood Reporter, “We are very sensitive to the Trayvon Martin case, but our film is a broad alien invasion comedy and bears absolutely no relation to the tragic events in Florida.”
The rep added, “The movie, which is not scheduled for release for several months, was made and these initial marketing materials were released before this incident ever came to light.”
20th Century Fox said it does not plan to change the release date for Neighborhood Watch.
17-year-old Trayvon Martin was shot and killed in Florida late last month by a neighborhood watch volunteer who has claimed he acted in self-defense.
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