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The Nissan Leaf goes Hollywood

Sunday, 30 June 2019

It what would have to be the most unlikely automotive starring role in a Hollywood action comedy since the much-abused Toyota Prius in The Other Guys, the latest mismatched buddy cop comedy from 20th Century Fox, Stuber, places the Nissan Leaf  front and centre.

Stuber features Silicon Valley's Kumail Nanjiani as Stu, a five star Uber driver (Get it? Stu + Uber= Stuber) desperate to maintain his perfect rating after he picks up a passenger, Guardians of the Galaxy's Dave Bautista, who turns out to be a cop hot on the trail of a brutal killer.

Much unlikely and over-the-top action results and, according to the latest trailer at least, a latest generation Leaf appears to be right in the middle of it all.

A Nissan Leaf might not be the expected vehicle for a Hollywood action movie, but neither was Michael Keaton as Batman.
A Nissan Leaf might not be the expected vehicle for a Hollywood action movie, but neither was Michael Keaton as Batman.

And staying quite pristine amid it all as well, it must be said.

**READ MORE:

As you would probably expect, a movie about an Uber driver features a Nissan Leaf.
As you would probably expect, a movie about an Uber driver features a Nissan Leaf.

* Nissan reveals Kiwi price for all-new Leaf EV

* The movies you need to see in July

* Nissan unveils a Leaf that is actually interesting**

Will the Leaf get a chance to shine? Or will it be relegated to a running joke and treated to ignominy after ignominy, much as the Prius in the aforementioned Mark Wahlberg/Will Ferrell comedy The Other Guys was.

Or maybe it will be relentlessly abused and joked about, but still come out on top like the series of unfortunate Ford S-Max's in another mis-matched buddy action comedy The Hitman's Bodyguard starring Ryan Reynolds and Samuel L. Jackson.

Unlikely cars in mismatched partner action comedy movies seems to be a growing trend and we are completely on-board with that.

While we hope the Leaf gets some love, because it is the new-gen one that is actually a bit cool, Nanjiani is no stranger to poking fun at the slightly obsessive side of EV ownership - his character in the TV comedy series Silicon Valley, Dinesh, became a Tesla owner in season five and quickly gets obsessed with maintaining his 'Tesla superiority'.