Everybody hopes to win the lottery someday, but getting the winning ticket comes with its own share of hassles. Family you never knew you had come out of the woodwork looking for handouts, friends try to scam you, and worse, some get downright lethal to get their hands on your cash. Now imagine if the lottery was more like The Hunger Games, and you get the situation Awkwafina is trying to survive in Paul Feig’s Jackpot! Good thing she’s got John Cena watching her back.
The Prime Video action-comedy stars Awkwafina as an L.A. newcomer and aspiring actor who unwittingly becomes the winner of the multi-billion dollar jackpot. Little does she know that the winnings come with a major string attached: Others can try to kill her to claim the “Grand Lottery” for themselves, making her the biggest target in all of Hollywood.
John Cena plays a “lottery protection agent”, and if he helps her survive the night he’ll get a cut of the money. Shang-Chi star Simu Liu plays a rival lottery protector who wants that money for himself. It’s a bit weird that Awkwafina’s character somehow has never heard of this murderous stipulation. You’d think it would be a pretty big deal, right?
Also in the cast are Machine Gun Kelly, Dolly de Leon, Seann William Scott, and Ayden Mayeri.
The film has a script by Rob Yescombe and is directed by Paul Feig, known for Bridesmaids, Spy, A Simple Favor, The Heat, and other female-led comedies.
SYNOPSIS: In the near future, a ‘Grand Lottery’ has been newly established in California – the catch: kill the winner before sundown to legally claim their multi-billion dollar jackpot. When Katie Kim (Awkwafina) moves to Los Angeles, she mistakenly finds herself with the winning ticket. Desperate to survive the hordes of jackpot hunters, she reluctantly joins forces with amateur lottery protection agent Noel Cassidy (John Cena) who will do everything in his power to get her to sundown in exchange for a piece of her prize. However, Noel must face off with his slick rival Louis Lewis (Simu Liu), who also seeks to collect Katie’s commission at all costs. JACKPOT! is directed by Paul Feig and written by Rob Yescombe.
Jackpot! hits Prime Video on August 15th. Amazon is also holding a contest giveaway with a cash prize and Buffalo Wild Wings for a decade. For a chance to enter, go here!
