A routine cash pickup takes a wild turn when two mismatched armoured truck drivers, Russell (Eddie Murphy) and Travis (Pete Davidson), are ambushed by ruthless criminals led by a savvy mastermind, Zoe (Keke Palmer), with plans that go way beyond the cash cargo. As chaos unfolds around them, the unlikely duo must navigate high-risk danger, clashing personalities, and one very bad day that keeps getting worse.
As the new action-comedy, The Pickup, prepares to launch on Prime Video on August 6, Nick L’Barrow was invited to the global press conference where stars Eddie Murphy, Keke Palmer, and Pete Davidson, plus director Tim Story, chat all things their new movie!
On what audiences can expect from The Pickup…
Pete Davidson: I think it’s one of those fun, early 2000s, old school, action-comedies. It’s fast moving. There’s not a dull moment. The story literally picks up from the jump and it moves. I think it’s just a right down the middle fastball.
Eddie Murphy: I feel the exact same way Pete feels, only it reminds me of the movies of the 80s! Those 80s buddy-comedy movies.
On casting The Pickup…
Eddie Murphy: I knew Pete from SNL, and I first saw Keke on that PIMP series that she did. And she does so much – hosting, acting, singing. She reminded me of me when I was her age.
Tim Story: It was like a dream come true. My career has a little bit been chasing [Eddie Murphy] and doing a movie with him. And when we got him, and you see him with Pete, it’s a pairing that you didn’t realise you needed so much. Then you add Keke [Palmer], and it was just a bag of riches.
Keke Palmer: It was a dream come true [working with Eddie]. I was so happy when I asked him what his favourite movie he’s ever worked on was, and that it was the same movie of mine, and that is The Nutty Professor.
I’ve worked with Pete before, so it was great to work with him again. But last time it was like a podcast during COVID, so it was nice to work face to face.
On why Eddie Murphy wanted to do The Pickup…
Eddie Murphy: The script was solid when I read it. These things normally take years to develop, but this thing was like 90% complete when I read it, and I thought, “Hey, this could work.” And then Tim came on board, and it just came together real quickly.
On improvising together…
Pete Davidson: [laughs] My character was always saying some foul shit! Some of it’s still in there. Tim was very trusting to all of us, and after we got the line that was scripted, he would kind of just let us have fun and go off. Some of the best moments of the film are just us all messing around. When Marshawn Lynch does the “Make the back jiggle” line, that shit killed me!
Keke Palmer: Eddie is literally the blueprint. I’ve grown up on all of his movies, and to be around him and to see how he’s been around for so long– I mean, he’s giving you his all. He was locked in!
Tim Story: Eddie, Keke, and Pete are all so surgical. Once they lock into what makes a scene work, they just give you more of that.
On the editing process…
Tim Story: Oh, I’m a slave to the comedy rules when you put this kind of stuff together. If it works, and makes audiences laugh, we keep it. If it doesn’t, we get rid of it. And that’s what’s fun – when you trim the fat, you get something that is just great.
The Pickup is streaming globally on Prime Video August 6.
