Secret Headquarters

Secret Headquarters
Official release poster
Directed by
Screenplay by
Story byChristopher L. Yost
Produced by
Starring
CinematographyLarry Fong
Edited byGregory Plotkin
Music byLorne Balfe
Production
companies
Distributed byParamount+
Release dates
  • August 8, 2022 (2022-08-08) (Arlington)
  • August 12, 2022 (2022-08-12) (United States)
Running time
104 minutes
CountryUnited States
LanguageEnglish

Secret Headquarters is a 2022 American superhero comedy film directed by Henry Joost and Ariel Schulman, who co-wrote the movie with Christopher L. Yost and Josh Koenigsberg, based on a story by Yost.[1] Starring Owen Wilson, Walker Scobell, Jesse Williams, Keith L. Williams, Momona Tamada, Charles Melton, and Michael Peña, the plot follows a child (Scobell) and his friends (K. L. Williams, Tamada) who begins to suspect his father (Wilson) might be a superhero after discovering a secret headquarters in his basement.

The film premiered at the Signature Theater in Arlington, Virginia on August 8, 2022, and was released in the United States on August 12, 2022, on Paramount+. The film received generally mixed reviews from critics.

Plot

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Jack Kincaid is The Guard, a superhero chosen by an alien artifact to inherit its powers and save the world, but his hero duties cause him to neglect his parental duties to his son Charlie, driving a wedge between them. When Charlie stays at Jack's house for his birthday, he invites his friends Barry Berger, Lizzie, and Maya Monroe over, where they find Jack's underground lair and find out his secret identity. Meanwhile, weapons CEO Ansel Argon wants to use The Guard's power source for his sinister schemes.

After the kids use Jack's gadgets, Argon's head mercenary, Sean Irons, brings his team to track down the power source. The kids fight back against them, and Jack manages to arrive just in time, but when Berger sends the source through a portal connected to his locker at school, Argon uses one of Jack's gadgets to get his suit and kidnaps Berger to find the source. Charlie leads his friends, plus a reformed Irons, to get their gadgets to fight back. The showdown takes place during the school dance, ending with Charlie sending Argon through a portal to another dimension with a grenade. He ends up dancing with Maya and kissing her. Charlie ends up joining Jack so they can fight crime together, while Irons ends up becoming Jack's mission control.

Cast

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Production

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Secret Headquarters was announced in January 2021, when it was reported that Henry Joost and Ariel Schulman would direct the film for Paramount Pictures and would also work on the current draft for the project with Josh Koenigsberg from an original idea by Christopher Yost.[2] In May, Owen Wilson was cast in an undisclosed role.[3] Principal photography began in Atlanta, Georgia on May 25.[4][5] In June, Michael Peña, Walker Scobell, Momona Tamada, Keith L. Williams, Abby James Witherspoon, and Kezii Curtis were all announced as part of the cast.[6] In July, Jesse Williams joined the cast as the villain.[7] Lorne Balfe composed the score.[8]

Release

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Secret Headquarters was released on Paramount+ on August 12, 2022.[9] It was originally scheduled to be released in theaters on August 5, 2022 before moving to streaming on the same date.[10][11][12] The film's red carpet premiere took place at the Signature Theater in New York City on August 8, 2022.[13]

Home media

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Secret Headquarters was released on Blu-ray and DVD on December 20, 2022.[14]

Critical reception

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On the review aggregator website Rotten Tomatoes, 45% of 38 critics' reviews are positive, with an average rating of 5.2/10. The website's consensus reads: "There are far worse family viewing options, but given the talent assembled, Secret Headquarters is a disappointingly bland and muddled action movie."[15] Metacritic assigned the film a weighted average score of 47 out of 100, based on 13 critics, indicating "mixed or average reviews".[16]

References

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  1. ^ "Secret Headquarters". Writers Guild of America West. November 24, 2021. Retrieved December 23, 2021.
  2. ^ Kroll, Justin (January 28, 2021). "' Project Power's Henry Joost & Ariel Schulman To Direct Secret Headquarters For Paramount And Jerry Bruckheimer". Deadline Hollywood. Archived from the original on May 5, 2021. Retrieved January 28, 2021.
  3. ^ Kroll, Justin (May 6, 2021). "Owen Wilson To Star in Secret Headquarters For Paramount And Bruckheimer Films". Deadline Hollywood. Archived from the original on May 6, 2021. Retrieved May 6, 2021.
  4. ^ "Secret Headquarters - Production Listing". Production List. April 26, 2021. Archived from the original on April 27, 2021. Retrieved April 27, 2021.
  5. ^ "Film and TV Projects Going Into Production – Secret Headquarters". Variety Insight. Archived from the original on May 24, 2021. Retrieved May 24, 2021.
  6. ^ Kroll, Justin (June 11, 2021). "Michael Peña Joins Owen Wilson In Secret Headquarters For Paramount And Bruckheimer". Deadline Hollywood. Archived from the original on June 11, 2021. Retrieved June 11, 2021.
  7. ^ D'Alessandro, Anthony (July 1, 2021). "Jesse Williams Joining Owen Wilson & Michael Peña In Paramount's Secret Headquarters". Deadline Hollywood. Retrieved July 1, 2021.
  8. ^ "Lorne Balfe Scoring Henry Joost's & Ariel Schulman's Secret Headquarters". Film Music Reporter. March 10, 2022. Retrieved March 11, 2022.
  9. ^ Massoto, Erick (July 14, 2022). "'Secret Headquarters' Trailer Sees Owen Wilson Getting His Superhero On". Collider. Retrieved July 14, 2022.
  10. ^ D'Alessandro, Anthony (June 1, 2022). "Owen Wilson Comedy Secret Headquarters Jumping From Theaters To Paramount+". Deadline. Retrieved June 1, 2022.
  11. ^ Kay, Jeremy (January 21, 2022). "Mission: Impossible 7 delayed again as Paramount, Skydance push next two instalments to 2023, 2024". Screen Daily. Retrieved January 22, 2022.
  12. ^ D'Alessandro, Anthony (June 2, 2021). "Owen Wilson Movie Secret Headquarters To Hit Theaters In Summer 2022". Deadline Hollywood. Archived from the original on June 2, 2021. Retrieved June 2, 2021.
  13. ^ "Cast Members of Superhero Comedy 'Secret Headquarters' Attend the Red-carpet Premiere of ... - Latest Tweet by Reuters". LatestLY. August 10, 2022. Retrieved August 12, 2022.
  14. ^ "'Secret Headquarters,' 'Amsterdam' and 'Reacher' on disc". Flamborough Review. December 12, 2022. Retrieved April 27, 2023.
  15. ^ "Secret Headquarters". Rotten Tomatoes. Fandango Media. Retrieved September 4, 2023.
  16. ^ "Secret Headquarters Reviews". Metacritic. Retrieved January 22, 2023.
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