History of Tropic Thunder in Timeline

Tropic Thunder is a 2008 satirical action comedy about a group of self-absorbed actors attempting to film a Vietnam War movie. Frustrated with their behavior, the director strands them in the jungle, where they unknowingly encounter real danger. The film parodies Hollywood, war movies, and method acting, featuring Ben Stiller, Jack Black, Robert Downey Jr., and others. They must use their acting skills to survive a situation far more authentic and perilous than they anticipated.

1987: Development of Tropic Thunder

In the spring of 1987, Ben Stiller developed the premise for Tropic Thunder while producing Empire of the Sun.

2000: Downey and Maguire's Prior Film

In 2000, Robert Downey Jr. and Tobey Maguire acted together in Wonder Boys. This shared history was referenced when Maguire appeared in Tropic Thunder.

2001: Release of Zoolander

In 2001, Roger Ebert compared Tropic Thunder favorably to Ben Stiller's previous film, Zoolander.

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2004: Scouting for Tropic Thunder

In 2004, Kaua'i was first scouted as a possible location to film Tropic Thunder. Ben Stiller spent over 25 hours over six weeks exploring the island.

December 2006: Preliminary Production on Kaua'i

In December 2006, preliminary production crews arrived on Kaua'i to begin work on Tropic Thunder.

2006: Green Light for Filming on Kaua'i

In 2006, DreamWorks gave the green light for filming Tropic Thunder on Kaua'i, with preproduction lasting for six months to scout additional locations.

2006: Tropic Thunder greenlit

In 2006, Tropic Thunder was greenlit and produced by Stuart Cornfeld, Ben Stiller, and Eric McLeod for DreamWorks Pictures and Red Hour Productions.

July 2007: Principal Photography Begins

In July 2007, principal photography for Tropic Thunder began on Kaua'i, lasting 13 weeks and using seven locations on the island.

August 2007: Owen Wilson Replaced by Matthew McConaughey

Following a suicide attempt in August 2007, Owen Wilson dropped out of Tropic Thunder and was replaced by Matthew McConaughey.

November 2007: Images of Tom Cruise in Costume Leaked

In November 2007, images of Tom Cruise wearing a bald headpiece and a fatsuit for his role as Les Grossman in Tropic Thunder appeared on Inside Edition and online. Cruise's attorneys threatened legal action, aiming to preserve the surprise of his appearance in the film.

2007: Filming of Tropic Thunder

In 2007, filming for Tropic Thunder took place on Kaua'i over thirteen weeks, becoming the largest film production in the island's history.

April 2008: Promotional Screenings

Between April 2008 and the film's release, Tropic Thunder had over 250 promotional screenings.

April 2008: Tropic Thunder Trailer Released

In April 2008, the trailer for Tropic Thunder was released, receiving mixed reactions. It later won the "Best Comedy Trailer" award at the Golden Trailer Awards.

July 11, 2008: Release Date Delay

The North American release of Tropic Thunder was originally scheduled for July 11, 2008, but it was later delayed to August 15 before being moved forward to August 13.

July 2008: Rain of Madness Mockumentary Trailer Released

In mid-July 2008, a faux trailer for the mockumentary Rain of Madness was released as part of the marketing for Tropic Thunder. The mockumentary parodies Hearts of Darkness: A Filmmaker's Apocalypse.

August 3, 2008: Screening at Camp Pendleton

On August 3, 2008, Ben Stiller, Robert Downey Jr., and Jack Black visited Camp Pendleton to present a screening of Tropic Thunder to military members and their families.

August 4, 2008: Simple Jack Website Removed

On August 4, 2008, DreamWorks removed the website for "Simple Jack", a faux film within Tropic Thunder, following protests from disability advocates.

August 5, 2008: Release of Score and Soundtrack

On August 5, 2008, the score and soundtrack for Tropic Thunder were released, a week before the film's theatrical release.

August 8, 2008: E! True Hollywood Story Aired

On August 8, 2008, a special 30-minute fictional E! True Hollywood Story about the making of Tropic Thunder aired.

August 11, 2008: Tropic Thunder Premiere

On August 11, 2008, Tropic Thunder officially premiered at the Mann Village Theatre in Westwood, California, two days before its wide release. The premiere was picketed by disability groups protesting the film's portrayal of intellectual disability.

August 13, 2008: Tropic Thunder Released in the United States

On August 13, 2008, Tropic Thunder was released in the United States, receiving positive reviews but also attracting controversy for its depiction of people with disabilities and the use of blackface. The film opened at the top of the American box office.

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August 2008: Promotional Activities

Between April 2008 and August 2008, the film had over 250 promotional screenings, and during August 2008, themed scavenger hunts were incorporated into Tom Clancy's Rainbow Six: Vegas 2, and Stiller allowed his likeness to be used in an online Facebook application game based on the film.

September 2008: Stiller and Downey at San Sebastián Film Festival

In September 2008, Ben Stiller and Robert Downey Jr. attended the San Sebastián International Film Festival to promote Tropic Thunder. The film was screened but not selected for competition.

October 2008: Paramount Begins Award Push for Downey

In October 2008, Paramount chose to promote Robert Downey Jr. for a Best Supporting Actor nomination at the Academy Awards.

October 27, 2008: Tropic Thunder Wins "Hollywood Comedy of the Year Award"

On October 27, 2008, Tropic Thunder won the "Hollywood Comedy of the Year Award" at the 12th annual Hollywood Film Festival.

November 2008: Downey's Role Considered for Best Supporting Actor

In a November 2008 issue of Entertainment Weekly, Robert Downey Jr.'s role in Tropic Thunder was considered one of the contenders for Best Supporting Actor.

November 18, 2008: Tropic Thunder Released on Home Media

On November 18, 2008, Tropic Thunder was released on home media after grossing over $195 million worldwide. Robert Downey Jr. received award nominations for his performance.

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2008: DVD Sales Success

During the first week of release Tropic Thunder reached second place on the Nielsen VideoScan First Alert sales chart and Nielsen's Blu-ray Disc chart, earning $19,064,959. The DVD sales in 2008 totaled $42,271,059.

2008: Tropic Thunder Appears on Critics' Top Ten Lists

In 2008, Tropic Thunder appeared on several critics' top ten lists of the best films of the year, including Stephen King's, who placed it fourth.

2008: Release of Tropic Thunder

In 2008, Tropic Thunder, a satirical action comedy film directed by Ben Stiller, was released. The film stars Ben Stiller, Jack Black, Robert Downey Jr., Jay Baruchel, and Brandon T. Jackson as actors making a Vietnam War film and also features Nick Nolte, Danny McBride, Matthew McConaughey, Bill Hader, and Tom Cruise.

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2008: Allegations of Antisemitism

In 2008, some critics alleged that the characterization of Les Grossman, portrayed by Tom Cruise, was antisemitic.

January 2009: Entertainment Weekly Includes Tropic Thunder in "25 Great Comedies"

In January 2009, Entertainment Weekly listed Tropic Thunder as one of the "25 Great Comedies From the Past 25 Years" for its satire of Hollywood.

January 22, 2009: Downey Nominated for Academy Award

On January 22, 2009, Robert Downey Jr. was nominated for Best Supporting Actor by the Academy of Motion Picture Arts and Sciences for his role in Tropic Thunder.

January 26, 2009: Home Video Release in the United Kingdom

Tropic Thunder was released on home video on January 26, 2009, in the United Kingdom. The release included special features such as audio commentaries and deleted scenes.

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