HBO Max has released the first teaser for “An American Pickle,” an upcoming comedy starring Seth Rogen that will premiere on the platform on August 6.
Directed by his frequent collaborator Brandon Trost, Rogen plays Herschel Greenbaum, a Polish ditch digger who emigrated to the United States in 1920 to fulfill his American dream. Herschel finds work in a pickle factory, only to fall into a brine tub, leading to suspended animation.
A century later, Herschel emerges from the brine in 2020, fully preserved. Although all members of his immediate family have died, Herschel can locate his great-grandson, Ben, who is also played by Rogen.
The two struggle to relate to each other in terms of family values, music, and culture, with Herschel even pointing to a David Bowie poster on Ben’s wall and asking, “Is this your father?” Still, Ben helps Herschel adjust to the 21st century, and Herschel guides Ben through the immense pain caused by his parents’ premature deaths years ago.
The cast includes Sarah Snook, Sean Whalen, Jorma Taccone, Joanna Adler, Jeff Daniel Phillips, Geoffrey Cantor, David Mattey, Charles Rogers, and Kevin O’Rourke.
The premise is based on Simon Rich’s short story “Sell Out,” which was published in The New Yorker in 2013. Rich also wrote the script for the film, while Rogen, Evan Goldberg, and James Weaver were the producers. Trost and Rogen have previously worked together on “This Is The End”, “Neighbors”, “The Interview” and “Neighbors 2: Sorority Rising”.
“An American Pickle” marks the first original feature film released by HBO Max, which premiered on May 27.
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