In the time it takes to read this sentence, MacGruber has probably been blown up.
The Saturday Night Live sketch that — like its protagonist — has exploded in popularity has been made into a feature-length film, and UNC is the first stop in the promotion tour at college campuses.
The sketch is a takeoff of MacGyver, a popular television series in the late 1980s. Richard Dean Anderson played an action hero who could use everyday objects to fashion weapons and tools.
Attend the Premiere
Time: 7:30 p.m. today
Location: The Varsity Theatre
Info: Present a UNC OneCard at the Varsity box office to get a ticket
Meet the Movie’s Talent
What: Signing with actor Will Forte, director/writer Jorma Taccone and writer John Solomon.
Time: 4 p.m. today
Location: Polk Place
MacGruber, a mullet-sporting soldier who is played by Will Forte in the upcoming movie, is a less- talented hero.
Despite his incompetence, MacGruber has been decorated with 16 purple hearts, three Congressional Medals of Honor and seven presidential medals of bravery.
In the movie, America calls on the hero to locate a nuclear warhead. Along with a faithful crew, MacGruber sets out to face his sworn enemy and save the world.
Actors Forte and Ryan Phillippe, who plays Lt. Dixon Piper, are traveling with director and writer Jorma Taccone and writer John Solomon to five different colleges on the Universal Pictures college tour.
UNC students will have the chance to watch an advanced screening of the film at the Varsity Theatre on Franklin Street. Following the movie, Zach Ward from DSI Comedy will host a Q-and-A session with all four.
Students will also have the opportunity to meet and get autographs from Forte, Taccone and Solomon in Polk Place. There will be mini-posters available for signing, as well as other giveaways.
Senior Jake Camp, the campus representative for Universal Pictures, has been working with the Carolina Union Activities Board to promote the advanced screening.
Camp said Universal Pictures contacted him about the advanced screening at UNC.
“Since UNC is the first campus in this campus tour, I think that this is a great opportunity for UNC students to come out and support the hard work of CUAB and Universal,” Camp said. “I think that it is very rare that students get to meet successful writers, directors and actors in such an intimate environment.”
Matthew Courtoy, publicist for the marketing agency Allied Integrated Marketing that Universal Pictures hires for promotions, said Universal and the filmmakers are excited about the film and know the film will appeal to the college crowd.
“It’s something cool for the college students to attend and a good way to get the word out,” he said.
MacGruber is produced by Rogue Pictures, a smaller company within Universal Pictures.
Camp said student response has been excellent, especially since the talents behind the movie are coming to campus.
Freshman Kate Jones said she was excited to take advantage of the opportunity.
“I will skip a class to go to the autograph signing.”
Contact the Arts Editor at artsdesk@unc.edu.
