Kevin James Is a Nazi Home Invader in First Trailer for Becky

Paul Blart … Nazi home invader? We’ve seen “playing against type” before, but this is something different entirely. The first trailer for home invasion thriller Becky hit the web this morning, and is captivating more for the “who” than the “what” of its story. Specifically for the fact that the film’s skinhead antagonist is played by none other than comedian Kevin James, in what is definitely the first role of this kind the actor has ever taken on.

Becky is a feature film from Quiver Distribution, and was intended to make its debut at April’s Tribeca Film Festival, before the ongoing pandemic canceled all public events. It will now hit VOD on June 5, 2020 instead, and will certainly turn some heads for showcasing a side of James we’ve never seen before. The synopsis is as follows:

Spunky and rebellious, Becky (Lulu Wilson) is brought to a weekend getaway at a lake house by her father Jeff (Joel McHale) in an effort to try to reconnect. The trip immediately takes a turn for the worse when a group of convicts on the run, led by the merciless Dominick (Kevin James), suddenly invade the lake house.

Sort of a Straw Dogs meets Funny Games meets Home Alone then, eh? Looking at the trailer, the tone looks a bit more like You’re Next, as the person underestimated by the criminals (the 13-year-old girl) turns out to be a worthy adversary. Actress Lulu Wilson already has an impressive bevy of genre roles under her belt, with appearances in the Ouija series, as well as Netflix’s The Haunting of Hill House.

James, on the other hand … well, you’ve got to wonder at his motivation for wanting to play a skinhead, or if it’s really as simple as “getting people to see me in a new light.” They certainly didn’t go subtle, from his massive beard to the gigantic swastika tattooed on the back of his head. There’s no missing that he’s meant to be “ruthless criminal,” and we’ll be curious to see how he pulls it off. We’ll get to see when the film hits VOD on June 5—in the meantime, check out the Becky trailer below to see a threatening Kevin James in action.