Vince Vaughn’s Reunion For 22-Year-Old Cult Classic In Hulu’s New Sci-Fi Was A Complete “Accident”

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Vince Vaughn’s new sci-fi action comedy on Hulu is about to reunite him with an old co-star.

Director BenDavid Grabinski shared that the return of Vince Vaughn to his cult classic film, Mike & Nick & Nick & Alice, happened by chance. The sci-fi comedy, which Grabinski wrote and directed, centers on Vaughn’s character Nick and James Marsden’s Mike, two criminals who find themselves facing threats involving a time machine – all while both being in love with Alice, played by Eiza González.

During an interview with ScreenRant’s Ash Crossan at SXSW while promoting Mike & Nick & Nick & Alice, director Grabinski discussed a surprising reunion in the film. Vaughn and Stephen Root, who plays Chet, previously appeared together in the 2004 comedy Dodgeball: A True Underdog Story. Grabinski explained that bringing them back together was completely accidental.

Ash Crossan: Did you intentionally give us a Dodgeball reunion with Stephen Root and Vince Vaughn?

Stephen Root appears in everything I’ve worked on. I actually wrote a specific part just for him – he voices the NanoBots in the Scott Pilgrim show. It was a fun session; he came in, made some sizzling sounds, and that was it! He’s credited as ‘and Stephen Root as the NanoBots.’ That’s the only time I’ve ever intentionally written a role specifically around an actor’s voice.

When I started writing, I approached it with a fresh perspective, really focusing on the cast. I was absolutely set on Stephen Root for a particular role – so much so that I even upset some people. When asked for a list of potential actors, I immediately said Stephen Root and refused to consider others. It caused some friction, but I truly believe he’s perfect for the part. It was a happy accident that it turned into a bit of a reunion with the cast of Dodgeball, as I’d always envisioned him being involved.

Stephen Root often appears in projects connected to filmmaker Ben Grabinski. He starred in Grabinski’s first film as director, the 2021 comedy thriller Happily, and also provided a voice cameo in the 2023 animated series Scott Pilgrim Takes Off. Because they work together often, it’s not surprising to see Root in Grabinski’s productions.

It’s exciting to see that the new story featuring Mike, Nick, Nick, and Alice will bring Vince Vaughn and Ben Stiller back together, just like in their 2004 hit comedy, Dodgeball. That movie has become a beloved classic and was a big success when it came out, still earning positive reviews today – it currently has a 72% rating on Rotten Tomatoes.

It’s unknown how much screen time Vince Vaughn and Rachel Root will share in their upcoming Hulu film, but the story suggests they’ll have some important scenes together. Interestingly, the movie’s plot isn’t built around their pairing; their meeting is a lucky accident, and the film stands on its own merits.

Early reviews for Mike & Nick & Nick & Alice are mostly good, though some viewers have found the humor and how the movie is presented to be lacking. Overall, it looks like it will be a solid film for Vaughn, and the supporting cast, including Root as Chet, helps make it even better.

As a huge fan of both Vince Vaughn and Jon Heder, I’m so excited for Mike & Nick & Nick & Alice to hit Hulu in just a few weeks! It’s been 22 years since Dodgeball, and seeing these two reunite – even if we don’t know exactly how they’ll play off each other this time – feels like a really special moment. It’s great to see them both still thriving and taking on new projects.

Mike & Nick & Nick & Alice arrives Friday, March 27 on Hulu.

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2026-03-16 16:28