Fox pulls 'Neighborhood Watch' teasers from Fla. theaters in wake of Trayvon Martin

• Share on Facebook
• Share on Twitter
• Share via Email
• Copy Link

  Link Copied

In the wake of Trayvon Martin’s death at the hands of a self-proclaimed neighborhood watchman in a Sanford, FL suburb, 20th Century Fox has decided to remove its first trailer and poster for the upcoming summer comedy Neighborhood Watch.

The film, directed by Akiva Schaffer (Saturday Night Live), stars funnymen Ben Stiller, Vince Vaughn, Jonah Hill, and Richard Ayoade as thrill-seeking suburban fathers and husbands who form a neighborhood watch group and get more than they bargain for.

WATCH ‘NEIGHBORHOOD WATCH’ MOVIE TRAILER:
[youtubevid http://youtube.com/watch?v=y2X-R_PR6xs]

The Hollywood Reporter spoke with a spokesperson from the studio, which says its decision to remove the marketing is in direct correlation to the ongoing controversy, despite the fact that the movie plot bears no resemblance to the incident involving Trayvon Martin and George Zimmerman.

“We are very sensitive to the Trayvon Martin case, but our film is a broad alien invasion comedy and bears absolutely no relation to the tragic events in Florida,” the spokesperson said.

“The movie, which is not scheduled for release for several months, was made and these initial marketing materials were released before this incident ever came to light. The teaser materials were part of an early phase of our marketing and were never planned for long-term use. Above all else, our thoughts go out to the families touched by this terrible event.”

There are no plans to change the film’s release date of July 27th, and Fox says it will be moving on as planned with the second phase of its marketing campaign.

The teaser poster will be replaced nationwide, as soon as possible.

Follow Briana Lopes on Twitter at @briananikohl