You remember that weirdly long stretch of time when it felt like every comedy trailer featured a guy with a bowl cut and a massive vault of cash? That was the lead-up to the Zach Galifianakis and Kate McKinnon movie officially known as Masterminds.
Honestly, the backstory of how this movie even made it to theaters is almost as chaotic as the heist it depicts. It wasn't just another slapstick flick. It was a project caught in a corporate death spiral.
The Real Story Behind the "Masterminds"
The movie is based on the 1997 Loomis Fargo robbery. Some guy named David Ghantt—played by Zach Galifianakis—actually managed to haul $17.3 million out of a vault in Charlotte, North Carolina. At the time, it was the second-largest cash heist in U.S. history.
Galifianakis plays Ghantt as this incredibly earnest, slightly dim-witted armored truck driver. He's got this Prince Valiant haircut that's just... it's a lot.
Kate McKinnon enters the fray as Jandice, David’s intense and somewhat terrifying fiancée. If you’ve seen her on SNL, you know exactly the kind of energy she brings. She doesn’t just play a character; she inhabits a specific brand of suburban North Carolina weirdness that feels both specific and haunting.
Why It Sat on a Shelf for Years
Most people don't realize that Masterminds was actually finished way before it came out in 2016. It was supposed to hit theaters in 2015.
✨ Don't miss: Death Wish II: Why This Sleazy Sequel Still Triggers People Today
Then everything broke.
Relativity Media, the studio behind it, went through a massive Chapter 11 bankruptcy. It was a mess. Creditors were fighting over the film like vultures. One bank, OneWest, had loaned $24.1 million just to cover the production, and they were desperate to get paid.
Imagine being an actor like Kristen Wiig or Owen Wilson and seeing your movie just sitting in a digital vault because a CEO's finances are imploding. That’s basically what happened. By the time it actually hit screens on September 30, 2016, the "buzz" had cooled significantly.
The Kate McKinnon Factor
Even if the movie didn't light the box office on fire—it only made about $29.7 million worldwide against a $25 million budget—the pairing of Galifianakis and McKinnon is pure gold.
There’s this one specific scene that most fans point to as the highlight. It’s an engagement photo shoot. David (Zach) and Jandice (Kate) are at a local park, and the poses they strike are beyond awkward.
🔗 Read more: Dark Reign Fantastic Four: Why This Weirdly Political Comic Still Holds Up
- The Look: Kate McKinnon is wearing what can only be described as "aggressively 90s" denim.
- The Vibe: She plays Jandice with this unblinking stare that makes you wonder if she's going to kiss him or bite him.
- The Impact: It’s so iconic that real-life couples have actually recreated the photo shoot for their own engagements.
McKinnon has said in interviews that she loved the character because these people are "valiantly trying" to do something big, even if they're totally unqualified.
A Cast That Should Have Been Unstoppable
Looking back, the cast list is insane. You’ve got:
- Zach Galifianakis (The Hangover)
- Kristen Wiig (Bridesmaids)
- Owen Wilson (Wedding Crashers)
- Jason Sudeikis (Ted Lasso)
- Kate McKinnon (SNL)
- Leslie Jones (Ghostbusters)
It’s basically a mid-2010s comedy Avengers. Sudeikis plays a hitman named Mike McKinney who is sent to Mexico to "take care" of David. The dynamic between him and Galifianakis provides some of the movie's funniest, most surreal moments.
But here’s the thing: critics were kind of split. Some thought the "rube" humor was a bit mean-spirited. Others, especially fans of director Jared Hess (Napoleon Dynamite), appreciated the specific, visual brand of "stupid" humor. Hess loves the visual punchline—like Zach chowing down on a goo-filled tarantula or getting a "fart transplant" (yes, that is a real plot point).
The Financial Reality
Let's talk numbers because they're pretty grim for a movie with this much star power.
💡 You might also like: Cuatro estaciones en la Habana: Why this Noir Masterpiece is Still the Best Way to See Cuba
The opening weekend only brought in $6.5 million. It finished 6th at the box office, losing out to Miss Peregrine's Home for Peculiar Children. Relativity Media was hoping for a $125 million lifetime revenue. They missed that target by a mile.
In the end, the domestic run closed with just over $17 million. It was a "bomb" by traditional Hollywood standards, but it has since found a weirdly loyal following on streaming services.
What You Should Do Next
If you haven't seen the Zach Galifianakis and Kate McKinnon movie yet, it's worth a watch just for the engagement photo scene alone. Seriously.
Check your local streaming listings or platforms like Netflix or Amazon Prime, as it frequently rotates through their libraries. If you're a fan of Napoleon Dynamite or Nacho Libre, you'll likely vibe with the awkward, slow-burn timing. If you prefer fast-paced action comedies, this might feel a little "off," but the sheer talent of the cast makes it a fascinating artifact of a very specific era in comedy.
Keep an eye out for the "fart transplant" scene. You'll either laugh until you cry or wonder how $25 million was spent on this. There is no middle ground.