Outside the Box [Office] and Amazon MGM Studios invite you and a guest to attend

A Special Theatrical Screening of

PLAYDATE

Directed by SCA Alumnus Luke Greenfield
Written by Neil Goldman
Produced by Luke Greenfield, Jason Benoit, Sean Patrick O’Reilly,
Mark Fasano, and Jeffrey Greenstein

Followed by a Q&A with SCA Alumnus Luke Greenfield

7:00 P.M. on Tuesday, November 18th, 2025

The Eileen Norris Cinema Theater at the Frank Sinatra Hall
3507 Trousdale Parkway, Los Angeles, CA 90089

FREE ADMISSION. OPEN TO ALL USC STUDENTS, FACULTY, STAFF and ALUMNI.
RSVPs REQUIRED. RSVPs ARE NON-TRANSFERABLE.

FOOD AND DRINKS ARE STRICTLY PROHIBITED IN THE AUDITORIUM.
 

CLICK HERE TO RSVP
 

About Playdate

When recently unemployed accountant Brian (Kevin James) agrees to a playdate with charismatic stay-at-home dad Jeff (Alan Ritchson) and their sons, he expects an easy afternoon of small talk and football tossing. Instead, he's thrust into a chaotic scramble to stay alive as they are pursued by a ruthless team of mercenaries. Brian stumbles through one ridiculous obstacle after another, his zero tactical skills a stark contrast to Jeff's oddly prepared demeanor. Director Luke Greenfield (Let's Be Cops, The Girl Next Door) hilariously collides suburban dad life with high-stakes thrills, transforming an ordinary afternoon into an absurd action-packed adventure where minivan mayhem meets professional hitmen.

The Amazon Studios film, “Playdate,” directed and produced by Luke Greenfield began as an independently financed film which was acquired by Amazon. The action-comedy stars Alan Ritchson (“Reacher,” “Blue Mountain State), Kevin James, Isla Fisher, Paul Walter Hauser, Alan Tudyk and Stephen Root.

Provided courtesy of Amazon MGM Studios. Running time: 93 minutes.

About SCA Alumnus Luke Greenfield

**Quick Note – Luke Greenfield is currently creating a new Filmmaker Platform for up-and-coming filmmakers. The platform will be a focused mentoring program to help directors, writers, producers, and actors with their careers. He will discuss details at the Q&A.

Luke Greenfield is a director/writer/producer whose films have grossed over $400 million worldwide.

His films include 20th Century Fox’s “The Girl Next Door,” Warner Brothers’ “Something Borrowed,” 20th Century Fox’s “Let’s Be Cops,” Universal’s “Role Models,” Columbia Pictures’ “The Animal,” Universal/Focus Features’ “Half Brothers,” and currently Amazon Studios’ “Playdate” set to release worldwide on November 12th, 2025.

Greenfield began making Super-8 movies at the age of 10. Growing up in Connecticut, he was either making movies or watching them. He made over 20 short films before applying to the USC Film School.

Greenfield’s hero was always Steven Spielberg. When Greenfield’s mother was concerned about her only child wanting to be a filmmaker and go to a film school she couldn’t afford, his mother wrote Spielberg and sent him Luke’s high school short films. Miraculously, Spielberg viewed his short films and wrote Luke a personal handwritten letter giving him advice on how to become the filmmaker Greenfield wanted to be.

At 18, Greenfield attended the USC Film School as an undergraduate. He made a 480 film called “Alive & Kicking” which screened at First Look and he was signed by ICM off the student film. But sadly, that was short-lived. When ICM realized his little 480 film couldn’t get him a job directing “Bad Boys,” “Happy Gilmore,” or other big films, they dropped him immediately.

Greenfield spent the next 3 years struggling, starving and crying. He made Bar Mitzvah videos to stay alive. But he never quit his dream of writing and directing movies to entertain the world, much to the concern of his worried friends and family.

Then at 27, he got back behind the camera and made a 10-minute short film called “The Right Hook.” The comedic short caught the attention of Adam Sandler and Greenfield was immediately hired to direct his first studio feature, “The Animal,” for Columbia Pictures.

Luckily “The Animal” was a box-office hit. Greenfield used that success to then write and direct more personal, passion projects such as “The Girl Next Door” for 20th Century Fox, which broke the careers of new talent such as Emile Hirsch, Paul Dano, Timothy Olyphant, Olivia Wilde, and Elisha Cuthbert.

Next, Greenfield went on to make two films based on his real-life experiences. He wrote, directed, and produced “Let’s Be Cops” for 20th Century Fox based on his real-life story of impersonating police officers, getting arrested, and then being forced to do community service. For his community service, Greenfield chose a teen mentor program which spawned his idea for the film, “Role Models,” which he produced for Universal Pictures, starring Paul Rudd and Seann William Scott.

Greenfield then directed the romantic-comedy “Something Borrowed” for Warner Brothers, starring Kate Hudson and John Krasinski. And in 2020, he directed and produced the tear-jerker dramedy, “Half Brothers” for Focus Features/Universal Pictures.

“Half Brothers” was a personal heartbreak for Greenfield when it was released in 2020. The film had tested through the roof in test screenings with audiences. So much so, the studio slated the film’s release to be the studio’s big Christmas movie. But unfortunately, the studio released the film theatrically on December 4th, 2020, the very night every theater in the United States shutdown due to the pandemic. It was the only film of Greenfield’s career that never got a big worldwide release.

Greenfield has just completed the film, “Playdate,” which he directed and produced for Amazon Studios. The film stars Alan Ritchson, Kevin James, Paul Walter Hauser, Isla Fisher, Alan Tudyk, and Stephen Root.

“Playdate” marks the very first independent film Greenfield has made outside the big studio system. The project began as a spec script Greenfield had developed with TV writer, Neil Goldman. Greenfield then sent the script to Alan Ritchson, as the two of them had been wanting to work together.

Currently, Greenfield is planning to direct two of his passion projects back-to- back. Both are from screenplays he had written over the years. In television, Greenfield has created a romantic-dramedy series, “Don’t You Forget About Me,” which he will write and direct.

Greenfield is represented by Jason Weinberg at Untitled Entertainment, Verve, attorney David Evans, and publicist, Amanda Lundberg.

About Outside the Box [Office]

Outside the Box [Office] is a weekly showcase for upcoming releases highlighting world cinema, documentary and independent film titles. The series draws from around the globe to present movies that may challenge, inspire or simply entertain.

To view the calendar of screenings, click here

To SUBSCRIBE to our MAILING LIST for upcoming free screenings and events, e-mail the word "Subscribe" to: aago@cinema.usc.edu
 

Check-In & Reservations

This program is open to all eligible individuals. The USC School of Cinematic Arts operates all of its programs and activities consistent with the University’s Notice of Non-Discrimination. Eligibility is not determined based on race, sex, ethnicity, sexual orientation, or any other prohibited factor.

This screening is free of charge and open to the public A reservation confirmation will automatically be sent to your e-mail account upon successfully making an RSVP through this website. Doors will open at 6:30 P.M.

All SCA screenings are OVERBOOKED to ensure seating capacity in the theater, therefore seating is not guaranteed based on RSVPs. The RSVP list will be checked in on a first-come, first-served basis until the theater is full. Once the theater has reached capacity, we will no longer be able to admit guests, regardless of RSVP status.

Accessibility Needs

Individuals with disabilities who need accommodations to attend this event may contact Alessandro Ago, Assistant Dean, Programming and Special Events, at aago@cinema.usc.edu or 213-740-2330. It is requested that individuals requiring accommodations or auxiliary aids such as sign language interpreters and alternative format materials notify us at least seven days prior to the event. Every reasonable effort will be made to provide reasonable accommodations in an effective and timely manner.

Parking

On-campus parking at the University of Southern California is limited. We recommend buying a day pass for the Royal Street Structure, located at the intersection of Royal Street and W. Jefferson Blvd. Parking passes are $20/car. For more information about parking at USC, please visit USC Transportation Website:

https://transnet.usc.edu/index.php/daily-and-hourly-parking/
https://transnet.usc.edu/index.php/about-us/entrance-hours/

Contact Information

Name: Alessandro Ago
Email: aago@cinema.usc.edu