(L to R) Dave Bautista and Jason Momoa star in ‘The Wrecking Crew’. Credit score: Jason Laciste/Prime. Copyright: © Amazon Content material Companies LLC.
The brand new buddy cop motion film ‘The Wrecking Crew’, which was directed by Ángel Manuel Soto (‘Blue Beetle’), premieres on Prime Video starting January twenty eighth.
“They battle like brothers. They wreck like legends.”
Launch Date: Jan 28, 2026
Run Time: 2 hr 2 min
Written by Jonathan Tropper (‘The Adam Venture’), the movie stars Jason Momoa (‘Aquaman’), Dave Bautista (‘Guardians of the Galaxy’), Morena Baccarin (‘Deadpool’), Jacob Batalon (‘Spider-Man: No Approach Residence’), and Stephen Root (‘Workplace Area’).
Moviefone not too long ago had the pleasure of talking with Jonathan Tropper about his work on ‘The Wrecking Crew’, growing the script with Jason Momoa and Dave Bautista, writing for them particularly, the buddy cop style, balancing the comedy and motion, director Ángel Manuel Soto’s contributions to the script, and the way he feels about actors improvising on set.
Tropper additionally mentioned his work on the upcoming ‘Star Wars: Starfighter’, what it’s like writing a ‘Star Wars’ film, what followers can count on from the brand new movie, and what is going to shock them essentially the most.
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‘The Wrecking Crew’ screenwriter Jonathan Tropper.
Moviefone: To start with, I perceive that you just developed the concept for the film with Jason Momoa and Dave Bautista. Are you able to discuss that and what it’s like writing particularly for them?
Jonathan Tropper: All of us labored collectively on a present known as ‘See’ on Apple TV, and that is the place I actually found them. ‘See’ was a fairly severe drama. I imply, it was an motion present, nevertheless it was loads of drama. Their roles had been very heavy and really dramatic. However the minute the digital camera stopped rolling; they had been simply so humorous. The banter between them, their appreciation for comedy, and their love for comedy. They each have this need to not simply be seen as monolithic motion heroes, however to additionally do human characters and do comedy. So, we had talked rather a lot about that, and we had additionally all found our mutual love for the motion motion pictures of the late ‘80s and the early ‘90s, particularly Shane Black’s motion pictures. So, we would all the time talked about stuff like that. Then we went our separate methods after the present and staid loosely in contact however forgot about it. Then Dave put out that Tweet, which began the entire ball rolling once more. I do not bear in mind who reached out to who first, however I bear in mind in chatting with Jason, he already had a powerful thought of wanting it to be estranged brothers, he needed them to be coping with daddy points and he needed it in Hawaii. He needed to essentially present the underbelly of Hawaii and to not present the touristy model of Hawaii. In order that was already in place. Dave had some concepts about his character as nicely. I took that complete factor after which started creating the story. I went out to Hawaii and Jason is aware of lots of people on the market. I used to be in a position to meet lots of people, see the necessary locations and study among the historical past in order that I knew methods to weave in what I wanted to weave in. It simply felt very natural, and it occurred rapidly. From the time Dave put out that Tweet, to the time we had been on the market pitching it and promoting it after which writing it and making it. So far as film improvement goes, it occurred quick.
MF: The film provides off main ‘Deadly Weapon’ and ‘Tango & Money’ vibes. Are you able to discuss your love for the buddy cop style and different movies that influenced you?
JT: I believe ‘Deadly Weapon’ was a giant affect for us, for certain. I believe that is the one the place all of us stored saying “’Deadly Weapon’ in Hawaii, proper?” All of us talked about that and ‘48 Hrs.’ and even motion pictures like ‘Working Scared’. I do know Ángel our director has talked about that film a couple of times. Nevertheless it’s motion pictures that retain the grit of an motion drama when you’re doing comedy. There’s only a nice dissonance to the comedy being put on this gritty setting, which is one thing I’ve liked about all these motion pictures. It is life or dying stakes. It is gritty, it is soiled. The motion is, extremely visceral and on the identical time, it is humorous. So, I believe there is a wealthy historical past. We definitely did not invent and even reinvent the style, and we type of leaned into the tropes of it. We simply needed to have a good time it.
(L to R) Jason Momoa and Dave Bautista star in ‘The Wrecking Crew’. Credit score: Courtesy of Prime. Copyright: © Amazon Content material Companies LLC.
MF: Are you able to additionally discuss concerning the tone of the script and discovering the best steadiness between motion and comedy?
JT: For me, it all the time begins with character, and these are two brothers who’ve a share trauma that goes again to their childhood that as an alternative of bringing them collectively has torn them aside. So, that is the beating coronary heart of the film. I believe Jason and Dave’s performances actually do convey that. For me, that was all the time an important half, the comedy, you may all the time dial that up or down within the dialogue and within the set items, however to me, an important half was to verify the beating coronary heart of the film was the connection between these two brothers. In order that’s the place I put my major focus and having simply labored with these guys for a very long time, I type of know the rhythms of their speech. So, it was enjoyable to write down for them however that was the simple half. The necessary half was simply monitoring their emotional journey collectively.
MF: I used to be stunned by how humorous Jason and Dave are within the film? Did you notice how humorous they had been, and did you play into when writing the script?
JT: Yeah, that is what I found on set after we had been doing ‘See’, was like they had been doing such heavy dramatic stuff, however the minute the digital camera stopped rolling, they’re humorous guys. They love being humorous. They do not need to be seen it as monolithic motion heroes. They need to be seen as actors. They love comedy and I do know Dave’s additionally doing loads of drama now. I believe, like everybody else, they simply need to be pushed creatively into areas that they do not usually get to do. Jason’s been doing a bunch of firms these days, however I believe collectively the gap between the 2 characters results in loads of comedy.
(L to R) Jonathan Tropper, Angel Manuel Soto, Jacob Batalon, Lynn Harris, Jeffrey Fierson, Morena Baccarin and Jason Momoa attend the Amazon MGM Studios ‘The Wrecking Crew’ New York pink carpet screening occasion on Thursday, January 15, 2026 in New York.
MF: Actor Jacob Batalon has stated that he improvised rather a lot on the set of this film. As a screenwriter, how do you’re feeling about actors improvising and never saying the phrases you wrote?
JT: I have been fortunate that normally, they observe the essential rhythms of the script, however deliver their very own imprimatur to it. Jacob is a humorous man, and I am all the time blissful to take credit score for good improvising. If it would not work out, and generally it would not, then it is the editor’s job and the director’s job to determine what works and what would not. However the type of improvising Jacob was doing, I by no means may have written for him as a result of I did not know him. I did not know his voice. I haven’t got his historical past. However he was doing one thing that was genuine to who he’s and who that character was and so it solely made it higher, I believe.
MF: Are you able to discuss working with director Ángel Manuel Soto and did he have concepts that you just added to the script?
JT: Ángel is a really highly effective artistic power. He is available in with loads of concepts, and he is additionally keen to go the gap on concepts earlier than he figures that out in the event that they work or not. So, there was loads of work with Ángel, and I even went out to New Zealand to do work with him. However there’s loads of attempting issues and there is loads of exploring issues. I do know Ángel noticed loads of similarities between Puerto Rico and Hawaii when it comes to their histories. It was necessary to him that we seize a few of that within the script. So, I believe the true work for me started then as a result of writing the primary draft was virtually too straightforward. When he got here on board and began pulling threads and attempting to essentially discover what he needed. It led to loads of nice stuff, and it was much more work. I will additionally let you know that I had written that complete automotive chase with the helicopter and every thing. However then he sits down and goes, “Nicely, let’s put these guys on a bike,” and he got here up with a complete addition to it. The entire center part of that motion set piece was all his thought. He has a superb eye for motion. I believe this script was necessary to him for lots of causes.
(L to R) Ryan Gosling and Flynn Grey on the set of ‘Star Wars: Starfighter’. Photograph: Shawn Levy/Instagram.
MF: You wrote the upcoming ‘Star Wars: Starfighter’, directed by Shawn Levy. What was it like for you writing a ‘Star Wars’ film and attending to “play in that sandbox”?
JT: It’s each bit as thrilling as I hoped it could be, and it is usually much more work than I assumed it could be. It was actually one of many in all probability hardest, most rewarding jobs I’ve ever had. It is simply a lot larger than something I’ve executed due to the historical past, due to the mythology, and due to the equipment that comes with it. It was all the time thrilling and had one million pinch me moments however on the identical time, it was loads of work.
MF: Lastly, what ought to ‘Star Wars’ followers count on from the brand new movie, and what do you assume will shock them essentially the most?
JT: I might say that followers ought to count on one thing new and completely different, however in very a lot the spirit of the unique ‘Star Wars’ motion pictures. We actually needed journey, pleasure, want achievement and the enjoyment that we felt as little children seeing these first variations of the flicks. Something that grows for generations develops much more mythology and weight in historical past. I believe we simply needed to return to the enjoyment and pleasure of the way it felt after we had been children seeing these motion pictures.
(L to R) Jason Momoa and Dave Bautista star in ‘The Wrecking Crew’. Credit score: Courtesy of Prime. Copyright: © Amazon Content material Companies LLC.
What’s the plot of ‘The Wrecking Crew’?
Two half-brothers, a unfastened cannon cop (Jason Momoa) and a disciplined Navy SEAL (Dave Bautista), should work collectively to unravel a conspiracy behind their father’s homicide in Hawaii.
Who’s within the solid of ‘The Wrecking Crew’?
- Jason Momoa as Jonny
- Dave Bautista as James
- Morena Baccarin as Valentina
- Jacob Batalon as Pika
- Stephen Root as Detective Sergeant Karl Rennert
- Temuera Morrison
‘The Wrecking Crew’ premiers on Prime Video January twenty eighth. Credit score: Courtesy of Prime. Copyright: © Amazon Content material Companies LLC.