Fox Ditches “Neighborhood Watch” Name in Wake of Trayvon Martin Case

The comedy will now be called "The Watch"

Weeks after Twentieth Century Fox pulled early promotional materials for its comedy, "Neighborhood Watch," in order to distance itself from the emotionally charged Trayvon Martin case, the studio has given it a new name.

The Akiva Schaffer-directed comedy, which follows a group of suburban guys through a battle with aliens who want to take over the planet, will now be called, “The Watch,” the studio announced Friday.

“As the subject matter of this alien invasion comedy bears no relation whatsoever to the recent tragic events in Florida, the studio altered the title to avoid any accidental or unintended misimpression that it might,” Fox said in a statement.

The studio also released a new (NSFW) red-banded trailer for the film, which hits theaters July 27.

“The trailer presents the first unexpurgated look at the R-rated shenanigans of Ben Stiller, Vince Vaughn, Jonah Hill and Richard Ayoade,” the statement added.

Trayvon Martin, an unarmed black teenager was shot dead in February by a Flordia neighborhood watch volunteer, George Zimmerman, who now faces second-degree murder charges.

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