Stand-up comedian Bert Kreischer is taking serious action with the release of his upcoming movie The Machine, based on his 2016 stand-up special of the same name.

Sony Pictures has officially set the release date for Legendary Pictures’ The Machine, with a premiere set for May 26 via Collider.

In his stand-up act, Kreischer talks about how he accidentally enrolled in a Russian language class, meaning to take Spanish, but was forced by his professor to see it all the way through. He goes on to describe a semester abroad in Russia where he unwittingly befriended Russian mobsters, with which he ultimately ended up getting drunk and robbing train passengers. The basis of his bond with the unruly criminal bunch formed with him saying the only words he knew in Russian: “I am the Machine.”

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The film finds Kreischer 23 years older and none the wiser when an alcoholic Russian mobster (played by Iva Babić) comes back into his life to kidnap Kreischer and make him pay for his past deeds. Another ghost from his sordid past arrives in the form of his estranged father, played by Mark Hamill.

Fans of Kreischer, primarily known for his stand-up comedy and his Netflix reality show The Cabin with Bert Kreischer, may be surprised to find the comic appearing in a more serious setting. Perhaps even more surprising might be seeing Kreischer perform with his shirt on for the first time.

The film is directed by Peter Atencio, known for several Jordan Peele-adjacent projects, including Key & Peele, Keanu, and the Twilight Zone. Other stars include

The Machine’s theatrical release will be preceded by a live-streamed performance by Kreischer, simulcast to 1000+ theaters on May 25 at 6:00 PM PST. The Machine bit from Kreischer’s stand-up routine can be found below.

Kreischer Shares His Experience Working With Mark Hamill

     Bert Kreischer/YouTube

Kreischer talked about his experience making The Machine previously on his podcast 2 Bears, 1 Cave, which he co-hosts with fellow comedian Tom Segura, including what it was like working with Mark Hamill:

Kreischer said he gave the Luke Skywalker actor his space because he admits, “I can be overwhelming at times.” The comic also spoke about how acting in a semi-autobiographical movie taught him some hard lessons about his own maturity level:

“I think Mark has an appreciation for me, much like my father: he’s a very sweet guy, and he likes me… I think he likes me. But I said, ‘Mark do you think we’ll be talking much after this?’ And he was like, ‘Huh?’

“I realized a lot more about who I am. That’s the weird part: I started getting very vulnerable halfway in. You start doing scenes about yourself and your relationship with your dad. All of a sudden you’re like, ‘God, is this who I am? Am I this fucking lunatic who would shit on a pizza box to win an election?’”