Monster Trucks trailer: creature feature teaser promises wild ride

If you put the tentacle-covered aliens of Amy Adams’ Arrival behind the wheel of a souped-up automobile and filmed the results, you might end up with something like the new trailer for Paramount’s Monster Trucks, which debuted Thursday morning online.

Think the emotional kick of E.T. meets the pulse-pounding chase sequences of movies like Gone in 60 Seconds and The Italian Job when it comes to the film’s plot, which revolves around a high school senior, Tripp (Lucas Till), who builds a supercharged truck from pieces of scrap metal at a local junk yard, only to find a slimy, belching creature seeking refuge near his workspace after a nearby oil-drilling operation forces it from its subterranean home.

The pair quickly bonds, however, posing for selfies and fleeing a band of shady, menacing men seemingly out to stifle Tripp’s secret connection to his mysterious new friend, who has a penchant for guzzling gas and taking the wheel of the teen’s vehicle.

Monster Trucks, a massively-budgeted action flick (a reported $125 million) from Paramount, was directed by Oscar-winning filmmaker Chris Wedge, who previously helmed animated hits Ice Age and Robots. Its supporting cast includes Jane Levy, Rob Lowe, Danny Glover, Amy Ryan, Barry Pepper, and the late Jon Polito, who makes his last on-screen appearance here.

After having its release date pushed back three times since production was first announced in 2013, Monster Trucks finally hits theaters on Jan. 13, 2017. Watch the film’s new trailer in the video below.