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'Strays': Will Ferrell is a revenge-seeking dog in hilarious, NSFW trailer for R-rated 'Homeward Bound'
You abandon your dog, you'd better be ready to face the consequences.
"What if your pets could talk?" is a tried-and-true formula for what's usually a family friendly story of redemption, love, and pure cuteness. It's the formula that's given us Lady and the Tramp, Oliver & Company, Homeward Bound: The Incredible Journey, and, more recently, The Secret Life of Pets. But just because the pets are cute doesn't mean they have to be suitable for all ages, and Universal Pictures' new comedy Strays is taking the concept into pure R-rated territory.
Directed by Barb and Star Go to Vista Del Mar's Josh Greenbaum and written by American Vandal co-creator Dan Perrault, Strays follows the life of Reggie (Will Ferrell), a happy-go-lucky terrier who believes his owner Doug (Will Forte) is the coolest guy in the world. But in reality, Doug is a jerk who just wants Reggie to go away forever, and sends the dog on increasingly elaborate games of fetch to make sure he finally gets lost for good.
Check out the trailer below, but be mindful of the NSFW language:
When Doug's plan finally works, Reggie finds himself at the mercy of a trio of stray dogs (voiced by Jamie Foxx, Isla Fisher, and Randall Park), who take a liking to him and decide to educate him on how to live the life of a carefree pup with no attachments whatsoever. Amid all the sprinkler playing and beer slurping, though, Reggie starts to feel like he has to do something more about his situation. He has to make his way back to Doug, not to reunite, but to get revenge in a very gruesome, NSFW way.
So, what we're looking at here is a sort of raunchy combination of Oliver & Company and Homeward Bound, with a lot of nods to other R-rated comedies thrown in along the way. The sense of subversion at work here is obvious, but while we know exactly what kind of movie Strays is parodying, it's also got a story of its own to tell. After all, each of these dogs is a stray for a reason, and their choice to band together creates a kind of family separate from the humans around them. It'll be interesting to see how the film balances that kind of emotion with what's clearly an over-the-top comedic adventure.
Strays wags its way into theaters June 9.
Looking for more R-rated comedy? Check out Knocked Up, now streaming on Peacock.
