How to Watch "An American Pickle" in Australia

I’m seeing double: four Seth Rogens!

So, Seth Rogen’s new fable An American Pickle goes live on the HBO Max streaming service from 6 August, after having its cinema release (like so many others) in the United States canned as a result of coronavirus.  

Hey, at this rate, we’ll take whatever we can get.

There’s just one problem: HBO Max isn’t available in Australia, since Foxtel (and by extension Foxtel Now and Binge) have exclusive rights to most HBO content in Australia. Even HBO Max originals Love Life and now Search Party were sold off to Stan down under.

Will we ever see it? You might call this an Australian pickle.

Well, the good news is that you won’t have to die wondering if we’ll ever witness Seth Rogen playing opposite himself on the big screen. An American Pickle will still hit Australian cinemas courtesy of Roadshow Films on Thursday 17 September. Huzzah! (We only hope Victorian cinemas have reopened by this point, otherwise the wait for our Melbourne friends will be a little longer…)

An American Pickle is directed by Brandon Trost and written by Simon Rich (Man Seeking Woman, Miracle Workers), based on Rich's own novella. Rogen stars as Herschel Greenbaum, an American immigrant who accidentally falls into a vat of brine in the year 1920, preserving himself for 100 years. When he is, um, debrined (a’la Austin Powers?) he is left in the care of his only surviving relative: his great-grandson Ben (also Rogen). As you might anticipate, hijinks ensue.

Even if this only winds up being the second best thing Rogen does in 2020 (after this, obviously), we’ll be happy.

The picture also stars Australia’s own Emmy-nominated Sarah Snook (Succession), and if she’s the sole reason An American Pickle is coming to cinemas here rather than it getting dumped on streaming, well, that’s a pretty big dill.

Update (01/09/20): This article was changed to reflect Roadshow's new date for the movie. It was previously announced as Thursday 24 September.

Header Image: Roadshow Films