The first trailer for Christopher Guest’s Mascots is here, and here’s the thing: It sure looks like a Christopher Guest movie, in the best way possible. It’s centered around a bizarre ritual, the World Mascot Association Championships. The old gang is back, doing talking-head bits: Ed Begley Jr. reminisces about his days as an anatomically correct donkey. Fred Willard makes obliviously awkward conversation. Jennifer Coolidge makes a reference to someone defecating on her head while Bob Balaban stares on lovingly. Classic! Plus, Parker Posey’s character, whose mascot alias is Alvin The Armadillo, sounds an awful lot like her Libby Mae Brown from Waiting For Guffman. And, hold on a second, is that Guest as Corky St. Clair sitting in an audience? Yes, apparently it is. There’s a Guffman cinematic universe now!? Praise be.
There are also some new faces: That Zach Woods should join Guest’s team is basically destiny playing out right in front of our very eyes. He’s coupled up with Sarah Baker, another comedian whose style seems like a perfect fit. Meanwhile, Chris O’Dowd, who worked with Guest on the series Family Tree, is humps unsuspecting people in a suit that looks like a fist.
Mascots seeks to delight in theaters and on Netflix October 13.