Although the movies The Lost City seem unconnected, they are creating an unlikely trend for 2022. As COVID-19 restrictions ease, movie theaters have been reopening, allowing more movies to premiere exclusively in theaters rather than through streaming. Bullet Train and The Lost City both fall into this category and have released trailers. These trailers not only highlight the movies’ star-studded casts, but also make the features look even better than their premises sound.
Set to release on March 19, 2022, The Lost City will focus on an author, Loretta Sage, who writes adventurous romance novels. The adventure becomes real though when an eccentric billionaire, Fairfax, abducts her, thinking she can guide him to the ancient city in her latest book. Hoping to prove himself, Alan, the cover model for Loretta’s novels, decides to rescue her. Premiering on July 15, 2022, Bullet Train centers on Ladybug, a trained assassin who is trying to change his ways but is given another dangerous assignment by his boss, Maria Beetle. While riding the bullet train from Tokyo to Morioka, Ladybug tries to steal a briefcase. However, he soon discovers that there are four other assassins on board, all competing for the same briefcase.
While Bullet Train and The Lost City may seem unrelated, they are more similar than expected. Both movies not only blend action and comedy, but prominently feature the actors Sandra Bullock and Brad Pitt. Combined, Bullet Train and The Lost City have created this distinct trend for 2022 movies and look set to introduce a whole new sub-genre of buddy comedy.
Although Bullet Train and The Lost City have starkly different premises, their trailers reveal how the two movies will be similar. Both trailers establish the light-hearted tone of each film. For instance, despite the characters being in dangerous situations, they constantly tell jokes and are even confused by their circumstances. In addition, Bullet Train and The Lost City’s trailers overlay serious events with upbeat pop music, reinforcing the movies’ humorous tones. While The Lost City will also include more romance, both it and Bullet Train promise to be action-packed comedies, showing the popularity of this genre for 2022 movies.
Additionally, Bullet Train and The Lost City both include Sandra Bullock and Brad Pitt playing characters that work together in some way. In Bullet Train, Pitt plays the protagonist and lead assassin, Ladybug, while Bullock portrays his handler, Beetle. Based on the trailer though, it is unclear if Pitt and Bullock ever acted together in person. Beetle seems to only communicate with Ladybug remotely, giving him assignments through phone calls. In The Lost City, Bullock stars as the writer, Loretta. Meanwhile, Pitt plays a CIA agent who comes to rescue her after she is kidnapped. Although it is unclear if Pitt’s role in The Lost City is only a cameo, he was able to act directly alongside Bullock. Together, Bullet Train and The Lost City are making 2022 the year for action comedy movies, especially featuring Sandra Bullock and Brad Pitt.
