Jimmy Kimmel Pranks Fans With Fake Movie Starring Mark Hamill as Albert Einstein

Proving that people will say just about anything to get on TV, a recent segment on Jimmy Kimmel Live featured people being asked to share their glowing praise of a fake movie, which stars Mark Hamill as Albert Einstein. Adding to the absurdity, the plot of “Thawing Albert” sees Einstein being thawed out in the present day to find a cure for COVID-19, with the prank asking participants to discuss how much they loved the nonexistent movie, going so far as to encourage other audiences to risk contracting the coronavirus to witness the experience. You can check out the prank above.

Of the multiple participants in the prank, many show reluctance to outright say that audiences shouldn’t worry about contracting COVID-19, though one fan refuses to speak the lines they’re being fed, ultimately resulting in them walking out of the prank.

As seen in the above video, Mark Hamill participated in the endeavor, filming multiple sequences of him as Albert Einstein vowing to destroy COVID, speeding down a ski slope, and even in the middle of a love scene. It’s unclear if the participants were also shown these clips, but if they had, it’s likely that they might not have been as enthusiastic about endorsing it.

While it’s clear these fans were merely excited at the opportunity to be on TV, it’s also a disappointing reminder that movie theaters around the world largely remain closed due to the pandemic and movie fans are desperate to see any movie, no matter how ridiculous.

Movie theaters in the U.S. closed their doors last March, resulting in a number of films that had just been released pivoting to Premium VOD releases. Films that hadn’t yet been released had largely been delayed by months at a time, with studios hoping that operations would resume by the time those new release dates approached.

Sadly, this was far from the case, as it wasn’t until the fall that movie theaters began to open their doors, albeit in limited capacities. Most films being released in these theaters were classic titles or independent fare, which failed to draw large audiences. Rather than risk any further delays or complications, Warner Bros. made the unexpected announcement that its entire slate of 2021 films would debut on HBO Max the same day they hit theaters, allowing audiences to see their films without having to potentially risk enjoying them in an unsafe environment.

What did you think of the prank? Let us know in the comments below!