Netflix’s New Film ‘Incoming’ Channels R-Rated Comedies Like Superbad, American Pie

As the sons of media mogul Peter Chernin, the CEO of Fox for over a decade, Dave and John Chernin were no strangers to privilege and status. However, there are experiences that resonate with nearly everyone, regardless of background. In promoting their new Netflix comedy Incoming, the brothers shared a memorable teenage moment that many people can likely relate to: watching their neighbor throw a wild party.

“I remember me and Dave sitting by a window with the lights off just looking into the backyard at this raging high school house party next door, thinking that is the craziest thing I’ve ever seen,” John Chernin recounted in an interview with Netflix’s Tudum.

Their new film is a throwback to the era of R-rated comedies like American Pie, set before big-budget superhero movies dominated Hollywood. It’s about that one life-changing night for a group of high school freshmen. At that age, anything can happen, and even a simple house party can feel monumental.

Raphael Alejandro as Connor, Mason Thames as Benji Nielsen, Ramon Reed as Eddie, and Bardia Seiri as Koosh in “Incoming.” Image source: Spyglass Media Group, LLC and Artists Road, LLC/Courtesy of Netflix

The Chernin brothers, known for their work on It’s Always Sunny in Philadelphia, realized as they aged that they were getting farther from that era of their lives. That spurred them to turn the notes they had been compiling for 15 years into the high school movie they always wanted to create. Despite major studios moving away from such comedies due to changing tastes, they persisted.

“We landed on the title of Incoming and realized, ‘Oh, this is four freshmen having this weird early-life identity crisis,’” Dave Chernin said in the same interview. “That kind of became the engine for the story.”

Incoming is set to premiere on Netflix on August 23. The connection to It’s Always Sunny is notable because the brothers admitted to “begging” Kaitlin Olson to play a mother in the film. The cast, apart from familiar faces like Olson and Bobby Cannavale, is largely made up of newcomers, including the young actor who played Hugo in Apple TV+’s Acapulco.

The premise of Incoming is straightforward: “Four freshmen are faced with the greatest challenge of their young lives: Their first high school party.”

One notable aspect of the trailer is the absence of smartphones among the teenagers, suggesting a storyline reminiscent of a different time. Kudos to the filmmakers for portraying teenagers in an authentic way by casting actual teenagers. It feels like a breath of fresh air.

Source: BGR, Netflix’s Tudum