John Travolta, a fun-loving bachelor in 'Old Dogs'

CEBU, Philippines - Take John Travolta and put him in a movie with Robin Williams in a story about a couple of single guys who suddenly has to face fatherhood. What do you get? Walt Disney Pictures Presentation of “Old Dogs” from director Walt Becker (“Wild Hogs”).

“It’s definitely a broad comedy with a lot of funny set pieces,” says producer Andrew Panay, “but most importantly, it’s got a lot of heart.”

“I rarely read scripts where I’m just laughing out loud,” says director Walt Becker. “It has a great balance of heart, comedy and wonderful characters.”

In the film, two best friends—one unlucky-in-love divorcee (Williams) and the other a fun-loving bachelor (Travolta)—have their lives turned upside down when they’re unexpectedly charged with the care of 7-year-old twins while on the verge of the biggest business deal of their lives.

The not-so-kid-savvy bachelors stumble in their efforts to take care of the twins leading to one debacle after another, and perhaps to a new-found understanding of what’s really important in life.

The film’s “old dogs”—long-time friends and business partners in their 50s—are indeed set in their ways. “One of the men discovers that he’s the father of fraternal twins that he never knew about, the result of a hasty one-day marriage,” explains writer David Weissman. “Now both men, who have never had children, are forced to deal with two 7-year-old kids and all the pitfalls that come with it.”

The filmmakers admit that the script was developed and written with a cast already in mind. “Our first choices were always John Travolta and Robin Williams. There are only a few guys that this movie is right for, and they are two of the best in the world. I mean, you don’t get much better,” says Panay. “It’s really an honor to cast two screen legends together in this film. It’s just a dream come true.”

Becker worked with Travolta on the box-office smash hit “Wild Hogs” and was excited to have him on board. “John’s always great to work with. He’s just about the nicest human being on the planet and as an actor he elevates every single scene he’s in,” Becker says. “In terms of instincts, he’s always right. We’ve learned to trust each other, and when he’s feeling something is working or I feel something is working, we kind of run with it.”

Travolta viewed the role as a unique opportunity to combine broad comedy with deep emotion. “My character Charlie likes his privacy, he likes his life, and he has lots of nice, expensive things—a great apartment, a cool car. He never planned on a family,” says Travolta. “I look for parts that I can do something with. I like to think, ‘Can I contribute something special and make it worthwhile for someone to use me in a film?’ It’s very important that my interpretation of the character benefits the story.”

Opening soon across the Philippines, “Old Dogs” is distributed by Walt Disney Studios Motion Pictures International.