A little over a year ago, HBO cancelled Looking , the network's dramedy about a group of gay men living and loving in San Francisco, after two beloved but low-rated seasons. However, there was a bit of a silver lining, as it was also revealed that showrunner Andrew Haigh (45 Years) would be given a chance to wrap up his story with a one-off made-for-TV film. Now, that long-in-the-works project is finally on the horizon (the film had to be shot around star Jonathan Groff's schedule, given that he has also been busy killing it in Hamilton on Broadway). HBO has finally released the first official trailer for Looking: The Movie , and it's chock-full of surprises.
In last year's Season 2 finale, Groff's Patrick finally moved in with boyfriend Kevin (Russell Tovey) — but their idyllic life was quickly shattered when Patrick realized Kevin still used Grindr and was interested in the possibility of an open relationship. In the final moments of the episode, Patrick snuck out of their apartment to go visit his old boyfriend, barber Richie (Raúl Castillo), who gave his ex a haircut. It was a beautifully melancholy end to a beautifully melancholy show… but now everything's about to change, if the 90-second teaser is any indication.
Here are the 11 biggest surprises from the Looking movie trailer:
1. A Time Jump!
"First time here?" are the first words spoken in the trailer, by Patrick's taxi driver. "Me? No, I used to live here" is Patrick's surprising response. Apparently quite a bit of time has passed since the Season 1 finale — perhaps just over a year, like in real life? — and Patrick has moved from San Francisco to Colorado in the meantime.
2. A Wedding!
Someone's getting married! But who? That's the question that lingers throughout the trailer after Patrick tells his taxi driver that he's back in town for a wedding. The promo footage presents plenty of candidates for the happy couple, including…
3. Agustín Being Thoughtful!
Patricks' friend Agustín (Frankie J. Alvarez) was easily Looking's most insufferable character in the show's first season. He underwent quite a transformation in Season 2, thanks in large part to new boyfriend Eddie (Daniel Franzese), and looks to be continuing his growth in the series' conclusion. "What happens if I hurt Eddie?" he asks, which could sound like typically pre-wedding jitters.
4. New Love Interests!
This quick shot of friends hanging out reveals a little spoiler upon closer examination: Richie seems to have acquired himself a new boyfriend since Patrick left town. Depending on how fast things moved between Richie and Fedora Boy, could theirs be the nuptials Patrick is attending?
5. New Haircuts!
Ahh!! What's that on top of Russell Tovey's head?! Apparently his breakup with Patrick drove Kevin to make some Felicity-level bad hair decisions.
6. Another Wedding!
Surely this isn't the wedding Patrick is in town for, right? But is it just some random marriage our protagonist happens to be walking by or does it have some actual connection to the plot?
7. Lasting Relationships!
In Looking's world of on-again off-again relationships, it's nice to see that Doris (Lauren Weedman) and Malik (Bashir Salahuddin) are still together after the ambiguous time jump. Seeing them dancing lovingly together makes them our third official candidate for the movie's newlyweds.
8. Tyne Daly!
The multiple Emmy Award-winning Cagney & Lacey star will apparently be making a guest appearance in the movie as a City Hall officiant who gives Patrick some much-needed relationship advice.
9. Speeches!
"You've lost this sense of romance," Richie sadly tells Patrick in what's sure to be a lovely but heartbreaking speech. Are those the words of a man trying to get back together with his ex? Or someone with romance on his mind thanks to his own upcoming nuptials?
10. Accusations!
"Were you ever actually in love with me?" Kevin asks Patrick. We don't get to hear Patrick's answer, but it's clear that their relationship didn't end on good terms. It's hard to tell if Looking sees this pair as star-crossed soulmates or merely an ill-fated fling. Hopefully the movie will give us our answer.
11. Hookups!
"What if we got together now?" Patrick asks his older friend Dom (Murray Bartlett) while lying next to him in bed. "Maybe this has been staring us in the face the whole time." Dom's response probably echoes the audience's: "You are actually scaring me right now."
Will Patrick and Dom actually hook up? Will Patrick end up with Kevin or Richie? Or no one? Who's getting married? Hopefully Looking: The Movie will answer all of these questions — and more — when it premieres on HBO on Saturday, July 23, at 10:00 p.m. ET.
Images: John P. Johnson/HBO; HBO/YouTube (11)
