Will Audiences Watch Rachel Zegler’s Comedy ‘Y2K’ Disaster?

Disney’s live-action Snow White is set to debut next year, but before that, Rachel Zegler will be seen in A24’s upcoming disaster comedy, Y2K. Alongside Zegler, the film boasts a star-studded cast including Jaeden Martell, Julian Dennison, The Kid Laroi, and Fred Durst. Directed and written by Kyle Mooney, Y2K is backed by producers Jonah Hill, Evan Winter, Matt Dines, Alison Goodwin, Chris Storer, and Cooper Wehde.

Y2K is not set in 2024 as the title might suggest, but takes place on the final day of 1999. The film follows a group of high school friends who crash a New Year’s Eve party and suddenly find themselves battling for their lives as the new millennium begins.

The movie’s poster effectively captures this setting. The tagline, “NEW YEAR’S EVE, 1999. THE LAST PARTY BEFORE…” is displayed in a retro video game font with neon emerald green. The addition of an electrical plug-in cord hints at a nod to Gen X, millennial, and possibly Gen Z audiences.

From the snippets available in the trailer, Y2K mirrors the buddy comedy dynamics of 2007’s Superbad. The attention to detail in capturing the essence of December 31, 1999—from hairstyles to clothing—is apparent. In one trailer snapshot, Zegler is seen with a late-90s hairstyle, complete with colorful butterfly clips.

Millennial audiences, who lived through this era, might be particularly drawn to watching Zegler and other Gen Z actors portray high school life from their youth. Furthermore, given that many Gen Z viewers may have older millennial relatives, the appeal might extend across generations.

To succeed, Y2K could leverage nostalgia to engage millennials, who came of age at the turn of the millennium. The film releases in early December, adding a holiday twist as it’s centered around New Year’s Eve. This timing may enhance its marketability, reminding audiences of the last night of the 90s and giving them the perfect movie to celebrate the end of the year.

Source: A24