Mark Wahlberg’s new movie features VALORANT, Valkyrae & iiTzTimmy
Simon Cellan Jones' The Family Plan is your typical family action comedy, but read between the lines and you'll find pop-culture references relating to gaming influencers and even VALORANT.
20th Dec 2023 15:20
Image via iiTzTimmy
Mark Wahlberg’s new movie features VALORANT, Valkyrae & iiTzTimmy
Simon Cellan Jones' The Family Plan is your typical family action comedy, but read between the lines and you'll find pop-culture references relating to gaming influencers and even VALORANT.
20th Dec 2023 15:20
Image via iiTzTimmy
VALORANT esports has made it into a Hollywood movie. Simon Cellan Jones' The Family Plan, starring Mark Wahlberg and Michelle Monaghan, was released on AppleTV this week. Only now have fans realised that their favourite tac-shooter has become a plot point.
The action comedy movie also features Rachel Marie "Valkyrae" Hofstetter and Timothy "iiTzTimmy" An playing themselves, competing at a VALORANT tournament in Las Vegas.
What's The Family Plan about?
The Family Plan doesn't exactly reinvent the wheel. The plot revolves around Dan Morgan, played by Wahlberg. Enjoying a peaceful suburban life as a father of three children, a dedicated husband, and a used car salesman.
This serene existence masks a different past where Dan was once an elite government assassin. His new life takes a dramatic turn when his past resurfaces, threatening the safety of his family. While the trope is a well-travelled one, the comedy colours between the lines with different pop cultural references, such as the inclusion of VALORANT esports.
VALORANT esports tie-in
Eldest son Kyle, played by Van Crosby, is caught between a rock and a hard place. While he's very much into VALORANT and appears to be good enough to go pro at it, his parents have taken gaming privileges away from him after fearing that Kyle is too secluded with too few friends.
Spoilers: Nobody in the Crosby family is really into telling each other the truth, and under the guise of participating in his school's chess club, he secretly sneaks into a friend's garage that's fully kitted out with a streaming setup.
Under the alias "Kyllboy", Kyle makes a name for himself. Admired by many for his VALORANT skills, which appear to be following him on a platform that reminds us of Twitch.tv. Wahlberg's character isn't smitten by the idea. Not for parental reasons, as he feigns, but due to the possibility of his family being found out due to Kyle's online presence.
As Wahlberg's former acquaintances discover his new identity, he guides his family on a trip to Las Vegas, where Kyllboy eventually makes it to the stage for a show match between iiTzTimmy and Valkyrae - with the latter inviting Kyle onto her team.
The Family Plan is available on AppleTV since December 15th, though discourse around it really only occurred yesterday, which may give you a hint on the quality of the flick. If you're fiending for your gaming hobby to receive some form of pop-cultural legitimisation, perhaps it could be for you.
About The Author
Sascha Heinisch
Sascha "Yiska" Heinisch is a Senior Esports Journalist at GGRecon. He's been creating content in esports for over 10 years, starting with Warcraft 3.
