Box Office Motion

Topics: ben stiller, jonah hill, Movie, movies, Neighborhood Watch, the watch, trayvon martin, vince vaughn

The summer comedy “Neighborhood Watch” will soon be playing in theaters, but not before 20th Century Fox decided last Friday to officially change its name in light of the Trayvon Martin issue. This was a shooting incident that had racial tones all over it and caused a national stir, involving a white neighborhood watch volunteer and a black teenager, Trayvon Martin.

The new title is “The Watch.” Fox released a new trailer for the movie, which is a science fiction comedy about suburban fathers hunting for aliens.

According to the movie studio, “as the subject matter of this alien invasion comedy bears no relation whatsoever to the recent tragic events in Florida, the studio altered the title to avoid any accidental or unintended impression that it might.”

The original title, “Neighborhood Watch,” brings to mind George Zimmerman, the neighborhood watch volunteer who killed Trayvon Martin. Zimmerman was not arrested initially because he said he only shot Martin for self defense. However, evidence later showed that he committed second degree murder.

“The Watch” stars Ben Stiller, Jonah Hill, and Vince Vaughn. It is directed by Akiva Schaffer, written by a couple of writers including Jared Stern and Seth Rogen, and produced by Michael Ewing and Shawn Levy. The movie will be released in theaters across the United States this July 27.