Green Day are going all out for New Years Rev, the upcoming comedy film from Lee Kirk that follows three best friends who embark on a road trip to open for the band at a New Year’s Eve concert, not realizing the opportunity was a prank. The movie is scheduled to premiere at the Toronto International Film Festival on Sept. 12, but Green Day teased that “Toronto is just the beginning.”
New Years Rev stars Mason Thames, Kylr Coffman, and Ryan Foust as the Analog Dogs, the garage rockers who are under the impression that they’ve landed their dream gig. The band drew inspiration from the years Green Day spent living in a tour van, driving from show to show and sleeping in precarious places just for the thrill of playing music with their best friends. More than a dozen of the veteran band’s songs appear in the movie.
“Forcing their way to drop off a demo to their beloved idols in hopes of earning some recognition, they instead get an extremely rare opportunity — to open up for Green Day at their New Year’s concert,” a synopsis for the film reads. “Or so they think. Unbeknownst to them, the opener gig is actually a prank played on them by one of their brothers. Nevertheless, naively optimistic, the young trio set off on the road from Kansas to California, with wide-eyed dreams of being on stage alongside their heroes.”
Green Day produced the film alongside Tim Perell, Jolene, Stella Bulochnikov, Robin Rapino, Ryan Kroft, and Anna Keegan. Kirk helmed the screenplay in addition to directing. “It’s packed with all of your favorite Green Day songs, loaded with mischief, and lots of familiar faces,” Green Day shared on Instagram, noting cast members McKenna Grace, Fred Armisen, Jenna Fischer, Angela Kinsey, Bobby Lee, and more. “This film is our love letter to all of our favorite road trip movies, ‘90s nostalgia, and chasing it all no matter how ridiculous it gets.”
In February, producers sent out a casting call for a scene that features a pop-up rock show. ”Punks, emo, hardcore, alternative and rocker young adults, aged 18-30, are needed for the feature film NEW YEARS REV, featuring the band Green Day,” the call read. The opportunity promised to provide “live music, skateboarding, and a rowdy good time.”