All you really need to know is the name Colin Mochrie.  He’s the longstanding co-star of 219 episodes of the classic improv comedy Whose Line is it Anyway?  And he’s co-starring in a new indie release that has all the vibe of Mystery Men–the oft forgotten 1999 superhero flick with a Smash Mouth soundtrack about less than competent superheroes, starring Ben Stiller, Janeane Garofalo, Paul Reubens, William H. Macy, Kel Mitchell, Geoffrey Rush, Greg Kinnear, and Eddie Izzard.  The new movie is the PG-13 supervillain comedy Villains, Inc., which has not only a great title, it looks like a movie from the same universe as Mystery Men, maybe a spin-off from an odd corner tucked away somewhere.

After the death of their supervillain boss, low-level henchpeople Beatrix, Cain, and Harold are once again left jobless, penniless, and squatting in an abandoned grocery store. Unwilling to accept their underling cycle of poverty any longer, Beatrix devises a plan for them to strike out on their own and take over the world by any means necessary. But superheroes, competing baddies, and harsh rules make the quest for evil success a treacherous journey.

Directed by Jeremy Warner, it has no A-listers, but Mochrie co-stars with Mallory Everton and Jason Gray, with Billy Mann and Whose Line regular Jeff B. Davis.  Will it be an All-Star like Mystery Men?  Check out this stylish trailer with a retro vibe for Villains, Inc.:

A Kickstarter campaign ensured at least a limited theatrical release.  Villains, Inc. is slated for release in theaters April 19, 2024.

C.J. Bunce / Editor / borg