‘The Interview’ teaser finds Seth Rogen and James Franco as Spies Like Us in North Korea

Seth Rogen's career has been on something of an upswing over the past year.

[We're not gonna call it a comeback, because “Green Hornet” wasn't that much of a disaster. Creatively? Sure. Box Office? Not as much as you'd think. Now, “The Guilt Trip”? That might be a different story. If only it had been R-rated but, we digress…]

The 32-year-old actor, writer and director scored a huge hit with “This Is The End” last summer and followed it up this spring with one of his biggest triumphs, “Neighbors,” which is still scoring big laughs in theaters.  The latter was actually Rogen's directorial debut alongside longtime writing partner Evan Goldberg. The prolific duo are already back with another unexpected comedy, “The Interview.”

This action comedy actually reunites Rogen with another big screen buddy, James Franco, and centers on a popular TV host and his producer who are recruited by the CIA to assassinate North Korean dictator for life Kim Jong-un.  Sony Pictures released the first teaser today which gives you a sense of the flick's irreverent and possibly darker tone.  It's not necessarily something you'd expect for a Rogen comedy (although maybe that's just the cinematography).  One thing is obvious, however, Rogen and Goldberg have not taken an easy way out for their “This Is The End” follow up.  They are covering territory we've seen before in “Team America: World Police” and, no joke, “Spies Like Us.”  Moreover, it's hard to for anyone to compete with Dennis Rodman's real-life antics with the basketball crazed North Korean dictator for life.

A lot of people on both television and on the big screen have mined Kim Jong-un and his father, Kim Jong-il, for laughs. Can Rogen, Goldberg and Franco top them?  Check out the first preview for “The Interview” embedded at the top of this post and share your thoughts in the comments section.  

“The Interview” opens nationwide on Oct. 10.

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