Robert De Niro is a legendary actor with dozens of quality films under his belt, primarily ones that allow the actor to flex his R-rated, adult-situation muscles. However, in the latter part of his career, De Niro has peppered in a number of comedy films, with some pretty great success (“Meet the Parents” being the biggest, obviously). And though last year saw the actor in two big adult-themed films, “The Irishman” and “Joker,” it appears that 2020 is going to showcase another family-friendly turn for De Niro, in the upcoming release of “The War with Grandpa.”
According to Deadline, De Niro’s next feature that will arrive in theaters is the children’s film, “The War with Grandpa,” based on the popular book by author Robert Kimmel Smith. Sadly, though the title hints at an older man entrenched in a battle that could turn deadly, the film is actually about a young boy that fights his Grandpa over claim to his bedroom, after the elderly man moves into the home. So, even though it turns into a “war,” we probably shouldn’t expect guns, blood, and/or the occasion F-bomb. But hey, it’s still De Niro!
“War with Grandpa” stars De Niro and Oakes Fegley, as the ornery young boy, alongside Christopher Walken, Uma Thurman, Eugene Levy, and Rob Riggle. The film is directed by Tim Hill, who is probably best known for delightful kids fare such as “Garfield: A Tail of Two Kitties,” “Alvin and the Chipmunks,” and the upcoming “The SpongeBob Movie: Sponge On The Run.”
Right now, it appears that 101 Studios and Brookdale Studios are planning on releasing “The War with Grandpa” in theaters on September 18. That is, unless “Tenet” keeps getting pushed back and the entirety of the cinemas around the world are kept in a state of purgatory. But let’s keep optimistic that everything will be fine by then.
Here’s the synopsis of the film:
The War With Grandpa follows Peter (Oakes Fegley) and his Grandpa Jack (Robert De Niro). The two used to be very close but when Grandpa Jack moves in with the family, Peter is forced to give up his most prized possession: his bedroom. Peter will stop at nothing to get his room back, scheming with friends to devise a series of pranks to drive him out. But Grandpa doesn’t give up easily, and it turns into an all-out war between the two.