The trailer for Under Fire just dropped, and it's got everything you'd want from a buddy action flick: two rival agents, a hail of sniper bullets, and the kind of banter that makes you wonder if these guys might just be the next Riggs and Murtaugh. Or, at the very least, the next pair we'll quote at parties.
Dylan Sprouse and Mason Gooding—former Disney star and Scream standout, respectively—are teaming up as undercover FBI and DEA agents who accidentally blow each other's cover during a botched cartel deal. Then, as if that weren't awkward enough, a sniper opens fire, leaving them pinned behind a car with nothing but their wits and (presumably) a lot of sarcasm to survive. Director Steven C. Miller (Werewolves, Escape Plan 2) isn't shy about his ambitions here—he's called this his Bad Boys. And judging by the trailer, he might just pull it off.
The best action duos thrive on contrast. Mel Gibson's loose-cannon cop played off Danny Glover's weary veteran. Will Smith's slick charm bounced off Martin Lawrence's panicked exasperation. Here, Sprouse and Gooding slot into the same dynamic: one's the quippy wild card, the other's the exasperated straight man. But what could've been a tired retread feels fresh, thanks to their off-screen chemistry.
Gooding already joked about wanting to make Under Cover and Under Duress with Sprouse after this, and it's easy to see why. Their back-and-forth in the trailer—equal parts tension and reluctant camaraderie—hints at a partnership that could outlast this film.
Miller's no stranger to high-stakes shootouts, having directed Bruce Willis in his final roles (Extraction, First Kill). But Under Fire leans harder into comedy, with a premise that's almost too ridiculous—two rival agents stuck in a standoff because neither knew the other was undercover? That's the kind of setup that either soars or flops, and Miller seems aware of the tightrope. The sniper angle adds a layer of genuine tension, but the real test will be whether the jokes land as hard as the bullets.
If the trailer's any indication, Under Fire could be the sleeper hit of August. It's got the right mix of chaos and charisma, and Sprouse and Gooding seem ready to carve out their own niche in the buddy-action canon. Whether it's the start of a franchise—or just a fun one-off—we'll find out when it hits theaters and VOD on August 15, 2025.
