Under The Boardwalk - What We Know So Far

The plight of star-crossed lovers is a tale as old as time. Movies have explored this trope through garden gnomes in "Gnomeo and Juliet," kitschy mafias in Baz Luhrmann's "Romeo + Juliet," and pizza restauranteurs in "Little Italy." Now, Paramount Animation is bringing the Shakespearean drama to the Jersey Shore.

"Under the Boardwalk" is an upcoming animated musical comedy about two lovestruck crabs from different parts of the beach. Previously titled "Jersey Crabs," an early descriptor (per Paramount Animation) stated that the movie "imagines the clawing that ensues" during the crabs' romance and the epic journey they suddenly find themselves on. The crustaceous comedy is among a handful of upcoming projects from Paramount Animation, including the monster sports movie "Rumble," as well as "The Tiger's Apprentice," which follows a young boy's magical adventure. 

As the release date for "Under the Boardwalk" gets closer, more details have been revealed about who is involved, and what audiences can expect to see. What do we know so far about "Under the Boardwalk" so far?

While the ongoing COVID-19 pandemic took a toll on the live-action film industry, its impact on animated films was quite different. In May 2020, Mireille Soria, then-president of Paramount Animation, explained to Deadline that their teams were "used to working remotely" and were, fortunately, able to avoid a complete shutdown.

"We partner with artists and companies all over the world, and the advantage that gives us is that we can really cast and crew up the movies with talent all over the world, and it allows us to do more than one movie at a time," she told the outlet, adding that their remote process was "(going) smoothly."

Because of this, "Under the Boardwalk" was able to stay on schedule and will be released on July 22, 2022 (via Paramount Animation). If movie fans are looking for a whiplash-inducing double feature, Jordan Peele's highly-anticipated horror film "Nope" will also be out that weekend.

So far, just one star is associated with "Under the Boardwalk," and that is Steve Schirripa. The "Blue Bloods" actor will be voicing a character named Rocco Marinara (via IMDb), possibly a play on the fact that he launched a line of pasta sauces. Best known for portraying Bobby Baccalieri on "The Sopranos," Schirripa generally plays tough guys, but has also done voice work for family-friendly films like "Open Season."

While the rest of the "Under the Boardwalk" cast remains a mystery, there are plenty of other names attached to the project. The film will be directed by David Soren ("Captain Underpants: The First Epic Movie," "Turbo"), written by Lorene Scafaria ("Hustlers," "Seeking a Friend for the End of the World"), and produced by David Dobkin ("The Judge," "Wedding Crashers"). Additionally, Paramount Animation has highlighted some of the artists working on "Under the Boardwalk." Production designers Shannon Jefferies and Chris Zibach are working together on the animation, while Breanna Tamburro is working as illustrator for the film (via Paramount Animation).

The Letterboxd synopsis for "Under the Boardwalk" compares the upcoming musical to "Grease," though it's still unknown what the songs will sound like. IMDb suggests that it will be a "pop punk jukebox musical comedy." Again, this appears to be speculation.

The one thing we do know for certain, so far, is the film's plot. According to Paramount Animation, "This musical comedy follows the hermit crabs who live under the boardwalk at the Jersey Shore. When Armen (a land crab townie) falls in love with Ramona (a sea crab tourist) tensions between their friends and families rise. But when a storm casts the duo far from home, their love will lead them on an epic adventure which unites the divided community."

Based on this description, it seems like "Under the Boardwalk" will be more than a love story about someone from the wrong side of the shore. Beyond the singing crabs, it'll be about overcoming differences and learning how to accept those who lead different lifestyles.

The July 2022 release date is still a while away, but more details about "Under the Boardwalk" will likely be announced soon.