Ambulance - What We Know So Far
Even as release schedules for several major 2021 films continue to shift, the year has thus far delivered the goods in terms of killer action flicks and genre fare. As it currently stands, 2022 is shaping up to be an even bigger year for action flicks, with the likes of "Thor: Love and Thunder," "The Batman," "John Wick 4," "Scream," and "Mission: Impossible 7" dotting the calendar.
If you're looking for another action flick to add to your must-see list for 2022, there's a tentpole crime thriller set to hit theaters early in the year that should be on your radar: "Ambulance." The Universal Pictures project was announced back in 2015, with "The Giver" and "The Quiet American" director Philip Noyce originally attached to direct (via The Hollywood Reporter). The "Ambulance" director's chair has changed a few times (dare we say, it has transformed), with Michael Bay officially announced in 2020 (via Deadline). "Ambulance" will also feature serious onscreen talent and promises big-budget action, the likes of which will surely play well with moviegoers.
Here's everything we know so far about "Ambulance."
What is the release date of Ambulance?
Universal Pictures has set February 18, 2022, as the "Ambulance" release date, per a January report from Variety. This particular release date falls on President's Day weekend, which teases the studio's hopes for maximum rewards at the box office. However, one person involved with "Ambulance" may prove divisive to audiences: the director.
The helmer behind "Ambulance" is none other than Mr. Bayhem himself, Michael Bay. The Bay name may or may not turn some away at the box office. Historically, the director's particular brand of cinematic bombast has proven divisive amongst the movie-loving masses. Nonetheless, his unabashedly over-the-top confections continue to rake in money at the box office (his last theatrically-released movie, "Transformers: The Last Knight," earned over $600 million worldwide, according to Box Office Mojo). So, it makes sense that studios continue to invest in whatever stylish cinematic madness he's selling. That said, Bay may be looking to "Ambulance" as a bit of a rebound flick since his last film, 2019's Netflix actioner "6 Underground," was deemed a misfired by many (via Rotten Tomatoes).
February 2022 is getting closer, so be sure to mark your calendars to avoid missing opening weekend.
Who is in the cast of Ambulance?
It's time to discuss the talent brought on board for Bay's next film. "Ambulance" will star the one and only Jake Gyllenhaal, who joined the project in November 2020. It'll be a welcome return to the big screen for the actor; he hasn't appeared in a movie since 2019's MCU flick "Spider-Man: Far From Home." In addition to "Ambulance," Gyllenhaal will be seen in "The Guilty," which is set for an October premiere on Netflix (via YouTube).
If movie fans are excited to see Gyllenhaal going full Bayhem in "Ambulance," they should be every bit as hyped about his co-stars. This list includes Hollywood's current "It Guy," Yahya Abdul-Mateen II. Abdul-Mateen II's casting was announced in December 2020 by The Hollywood Reporter. The in-demand actor has earned raves for his scene-stealing work in "Aquaman," HBO's "Watchmen," "The Trial of the Chicago 7," and most recently, "Candyman." Soon, he will be seen in "The Matrix: Resurrections" opposite Keanu Reeves. Filling out the cast of "Ambulance," per the movie's IMDb, is "Godzilla vs. Kong" star Eiza González, "Longmire" fan favorite A Martinez, and "Army of the Dead" star Garrett Dillahunt.
What is the plot of Ambulance?
"Ambulance" is a remake of a 2005 Danish flick bearing the same name directed by Laurits Munch-Petersen. According to the movie's IMDb page, it was made under strict adherence to three rules. Those three rules are: Only one location (an ambulance) could be utilized, the story had to unfold in real time, and there could only be four characters could be featured in the ambulance. Munch-Petersen used that framework to craft an 80-minute thrill ride about a pair of thieves who steal an ambulance for their getaway car after their heist goes sideways. The thieves soon discover an EMT struggling to keep a near-death patient alive in the back of the vehicle.
From the same December 2020 report from THR on Abdul-Mateen II's casting, we know "Ambulance" screenwriter Chris Fedak ("Chuck") reworked the plot of Munch-Petersen's movie by tweaking the relationship between the criminal brothers. An August CinemaBlend report revealed further details on those plot tweaks. In the "Ambulance" remake, Gyllenhaal and Abdul-Mateen II play estranged friends. The pair reteam when the wife of Abdul-Mateen II's character becomes ill, leaving him desperate to find the money for life-saving treatment. He seeks out Gyllenhaal's character, who ropes him into a bank heist that culminates with the pair commandeering an ambulance. The partners in crime also take González's character, a paramedic, hostage as well as a near-death patient she's treating.
It's unclear how strict Bay will adhere to the rules set forth by his "Ambulance" predecessor, but the prospect of an 80-minute thriller from the master of cinematic mayhem is definitely intriguing.