August 13th 2008
Action/Comedy, R, 124mins, Dreamworks Pictures
Cast: Ben Stiller, Jack Black, Robert Downey Jr., Nick Nolte, Brandon Jackson, Steve Coogan, Danny McBride, Bill Hader, Jay Baruchel, Brandon Soo Hoo, Matt Levin, Andrea De Oliveira, Reggie Lee, Yvette Nicole Brown, Tobey Maguire, Matthew McConaughey, Tom Cruise
Director: Ben Stiller
Writers: Ben Stiller, Etan Cohen, Justin Theroux
Producers: Stuart Cornfeld, Eric McLeod, Ben Stiller
Associate Producers: Matt Eppedio
Art Direction: Richard L. Johnson, Dan Webster
Casting: Kathy Driscoll, Francine Maisler
Costumes: Marlene Stewart
D.O.P.: John Toll
Editor: Greg Hayden
Music: Theodore Shapiro
Production Design: Jeff Mann
Set Decoration: Daniel B. Clancy
Ben Stiller says "Tropic Thunder" is a "a comedy about five actors who go on location and find themselves relying on their boot camp experiences when they get stuck in a real war-like situation." Black will play Jeff "Fats" Portnoy, an overweight gross-out comedian, who's forced to kick his drug addiction while filming on location in the jungle. Downey Jr. will play Kirk Lazarus, the greatest actor of his generation and a four-time Oscar winner. Baruchel will play Kevin Sandusky, an unknown actor on the set and Stiller plays Speedman.
Aspect Ratio: 2.35:1
Cinematographic Process: Super 35 (source), Digital Intermediate (master)
Filming Locations: Kaua'i, Hawaii; Los Angeles, USA
Film Negative Format: 35mm
MPAA Warning: Pervasive Language Including Sexual References,
Violent Content and Drug Material
Production Companies: DreamWorks SKG, Internationale Filmproduktion Stella-del-Sud Second, Red Hour Films, Road Rebel
Production Schedule: July 2007 - September 2007
Web Sites:
Official Site -
The IMDb
- Ben Stiller, Jack Black, and Robert Downey, Jr. appeared on the seventh season finale of American Idol in a sketch (funded by themselves to charity) as The Pips performing with Gladys Knight, using archival footage of her.
- Ben Stiller, Jack Black, and Robert Downey, Jr. performed a sketch in the 2008 MTV Movie Awards which featured the actors attempting to create a successful viral video to promote the film, with awkward results. Afterwards, the three later appeared to present the "Best Movie" award.
- A faux trailer for the mockumentary Rain of Madness was released, which is a parody of Hearts of Darkness: A Filmmaker's Apocalypse. The faux mockumentary included a movie poster and an official website prior to Tropic Thunder's release.
- Paramount announced that it would be marketing an energy drink known as "Booty Sweat" which is shown throughout the film. This is the first product to be released concurrently with a film's release, as other fictional products are usually released after the film has ended its theater run.
- Before the film, three fake trailers will be shown. The first trailer shows Tugg Speedman's latest film, "Scorcher VI: Global Meltdown". Another trailer is for Jeff Portnoy's film, "The Fatties: Fart 2", which spoofs Eddie Murphy's portrayal of multiple characters such as in The Nutty Professor. The final trailer, entitled "Satan's Alley", features Downey Jr. and Tobey Maguire and spoofs both "Brokeback Mountain" and Oscar-bait style films.
- Owen Wilson was to have Matthew McConaughey's role in the film, but dropped out after his suicide attempt in August 2007.
- Shooting for the film took place on the Hawaiian island of Kauai, where Stiller has a home, and was rhe first major studio production on the island in five years.
- Ben Stiller got the idea for the film while shooting 1987's "Empire of the Sun" in which he played a small part.
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