Back in October 2014, Paul Reubens, well-known for his show, Pee-Wee's Playhouse, made a small announcement of his plans on Jimmy Fallon's The Tonight Show. In January, we saw a short, teaser-trailer for Pee-wee's Big Holiday, the first full-length feature film since Big Top Pee-wee in 1988. On February 16th, the full length trailer of Pee-Wee's Big Holiday was released by Netflix.
Pee-wee Herman, the quirky, child-like man is seen in this preview waking up, and being thrown out of his hide-away bed into his living room, somehow appearing magically from pajamas to his trademark gray suit and red bow-tie. As he walks down the street and drives his minuscule, red car, everyone seems to know him in his town of Fairville.
"Don't you ever wonder what life is like outside of Fairville?" he's asked?
"Nope!" he replies. "You know I don't want to go anywhere, or try anything new. Bye! "
A mysterious stranger, played by Joe Manganiello (Spider-Man, Magic Mike), will befriend Pee-wee, and encourage him to take his very first holiday. From the sign on the back of his car that says,"BIG APPLE or Die Tryin'!" we're going to assume he's planning on going to New York.
"My very first holiday is off to a perfect start!" he exclaims, right before some female bank robbers hi-jack him and his little blue car. He finds himself in several different places- the woods with Grizzly Adams' look-a-like, New York City, an Amish village, a snake farm, and what looks to be a polygamist's house. He will also take several modes of transportation, reminiscent of Planes, Trains and Automobiles.
Other cast members, along with Reuben and Manganiello, include Tara Buck, Jessica Pohly, Alia Shawkat, Stephanie Beatriz, David Arquette and Brad William Henke.
John Lee will be cutting his feature directorial teeth on this film. He has directed TV show episodes in the past, including Wonder Showzen, The Heart, She Holler, Broad City and Inside Amy Schumer.
Judd Apatow(Trainwreck, Bridesmaids) will be producing this film with Paul Reubens. Apatow shared in an interview for a NY Times article ''When I was younger, I didn't put my finger on why I liked Pee-wee so much - it just made me laugh,'' he told me. ''But looking back, it's a group of strange people who are having a great time and being really nice to each other, and as a slightly weird kid I must have understood that. I liked watching someone so different whom the audience loved. The idea that unique people were getting applause, that the crowd was going crazy for Pee-wee, made me feel you didn't have to be the football-team quarterback.''
Pee-wee's Big Holiday will premiere first at the SXSW Festival before streaming on Netflix on March 18th. For those fans who want to reminsce on the old days of Pee-wee Herman, Pee-Wee's Big Adventure, and five seasons of Pee-wee's Playouse, can be seen on Netflix right now. Will you watch the new movie when it's out? What do you think of Paul Reubens trying to bring this franchise back?
