Bob Odenkirk in ‘Normal’, a Magnolia Pictures release. Photo courtesy of Magnolia Pictures.
Bob Odenkirk has been proving for a while that he’s more than just a comedian and comic actor; the depth he brought to Saul Goodman across the ‘Breaking Bad’ TV universe was key, but he also showed real action chops in the two ‘Nobody’ movies.
With ‘Normal’, he’s much more back in the latter two films’ wheelhouse, playing someone who has to confront a violent situation. But while ‘Nobody’ and its sequel certainly have some dark laughs, this latest outing raises the comic stakes and ups the deadly inventiveness.
Script and Direction
Ben Wheatley, director of ‘Normal’, a Magnolia Pictures release. Photo courtesy of Magnolia Pictures.
Based on an idea by Odenkirk and Derek Kolstad (better known for the ‘John Wick’ franchise, but also responsible for cranking out scripts for the ‘Nobody’ movies and the ‘Die Hart’ outings), ‘Normal’ certainly leans on comedy to leaven the action madness.
While most of the characters are archetypes (and some are disposable cannon fodder), there’s enough care and attention given to the setup to make you invest in the story once the bullets (and more) start flying.
Ben Wheatley, meanwhile, might be best known in the States for ‘Meg 2: The Trench’ and ‘Free Fire,’ but his UK work is deeply rooted in dark humor, and he’s certainly a good choice for this one, bringing a devilish sense of invention to the chaos.
Cast and Performances
Henry Winkler in ‘Normal’, a Magnolia Pictures release. Photo courtesy of Magnolia Pictures.
Odenkirk obviously gets the lion’s share of character work, bringing to life the troubled Ulysses Richardson, interim sheriff who quickly realizes that the quirky small town he’s been hired to protect has some very deep, dark secrets.
But around him, there are plenty of standout characters, including Henry Winkler’s cheerful, sweary Mayor Kibner, Reena Jolly and Brendan Fletcher as a seemingly criminal couple whose ambitions light the fuse on the powder keg that is the town. Also worth watching? Ryan Allen as Deputy Blaine Anderson, who has one eye on the top job in the town’s law enforcement.
Final Thoughts
Bob Odenkirk in ‘Normal’. Photo: Magnolia Pictures.
Utterly ridiculous but also a lot of fun, ‘Normal’ presents as a crossbreed of ‘Hot Fuzz’ (new lawman confronts a small locale’s dark secrets) and the ‘Final Destination’ franchise (in the sheer invention of some of its deaths).
Don’t go in expecting high art, but it’s a wild ride with plenty to enjoy.
‘Normal’ receives 72 out of 100.
(L to R) Bob Odenkirk and Jess McLeod in ‘Normal’, a Magnolia Pictures release. Photo courtesy of Magnolia Pictures.
What is the plot of ‘Normal’?
Ulysses (Bob Odenkirk) comes to the sleepy town of Normal, Minnesota to serve as the temporary sheriff after the passing of the original sheriff. A bank robbery in Normal leads Ulysses to find that a criminal underground reaches throughout the entire town.
855HWoHK8ZqrwkXuETECO
(L to R) Bob Odenkirk and Lena Headey star in ‘Normal’.
Moviefone recently had the pleasure of speaking with Bob Odenkirk, Lena Headey and Henry Winkler about their work on ‘Normal’, developing the screenplay, the characters, working with each other, the action sequences and collaborating with director Ben Wheatley.
You can read the full interview below or click on the video player above to watch our interviews with Odenkirk, Headey, Winkler, and Jess McLeod.
Bob Odenkirk in ‘Normal’, a Magnolia Pictures release. Photo courtesy of Magnolia Pictures.
Moviefone: To begin with, Bob, can you talk about your first reaction to writer Derek Kolstad’s pitch for this movie and what were some of the elements you helped add in the development process?
Bob Odenkirk: Well, Derek had written an outline for this story, and I liked it because it was unlike a lot of action films. It had story to it. It had character to it. It was almost like three movies in one. The first film is a mystery suspense with comedy, but it’s kind of like a Lake Wobegone town, if you know that reference from Garrison Keillor’s ‘Prairie Home Companion’. It’s a small town in Minnesota. There are funny characters in there, squabbling and being stupid. Then it turns into this action film and then it has horror elements in it in the later part of the film. So, again, unlike a lot of action stories, it had texture and it had character, and some depth to the characters. That’s just different. I mean, that’s not actually something you see in a lot of action films, outlines, or scripts.
Henry Winkler stars in ‘Normal’.
MF: Henry, what was your first reaction to the screenplay and what excited you about playing a character like this?
Henry Winkler: Okay. Bob is a friend; he and Naomi is beautiful wife. We have had pasta together. He called me up, he said, “Henry, I’m doing a movie. Would you be part of it?” I didn’t have to read the script. I just said yes. I went up to Winnipeg. I played the wonderful mayor of the town. He is the interim sheriff. Little does he know there is chaos below the surface. He said, “We’re going to have a confrontation. I’m going to put you in the most comfortable position to have that confrontation. I’m going to put you in a blizzard.” That’s how it goes.
Bob Odenkirk in ‘Normal’, a Magnolia Pictures release. Photo courtesy of Magnolia Pictures.
MF: Lena, can you talk about your character’s role in this town and how she feels about the new Sheriff?
Lena Headey: I think Bob just wanted someone who would wear a pair of overalls. I love Moira. She’s kind of a little weird. She’s a little eaten by life and when Bob’s character rolls up, there’s a recognition between the two of them and suspicion. Yet, a kind of emotional deficit where they don’t discuss anything they truly like to discuss. So, they kind of skirt around like two snakes a little bit, figuring out who the other is.
(L to R) Brendan Fletcher, Bob Odenkirk and Reena Jolly in ‘Normal’, a Magnolia Pictures release. Photo courtesy of Magnolia Pictures.
MF: Bob, what is Ulysses’ reaction to meeting Moira and discovering what is really going on in this small town?
BO: She is the smartest character in town. I mean, arguably Henry Winkler’s character is very smart too, but not really. He’s just got it an antenna for things, but Moira sees Ulysses and fully grasps the danger of Ulysses, but just the way he sees the world and the details that he sees. So, they really connect and kind of right away. They’re both people who are, in the case of the character Moira, she’s a bartender, and she talks about, you know, “I spend a lot of time listening to people, and I can pick apart what they’re saying, and I can understand the subtext, essentially.” Ulysses, as you see in the movie ‘Normal’ is also somewhat removed from the world around him and is always observing on a very high level. I think that’d be a good team if they weren’t opposing forces.
(L to R) Lena Headey and Bob Odenkirk in ‘Normal’, a Magnolia Pictures release. Photo courtesy of Magnolia Pictures.
MF: Lena, what was it like working with Bob on your scenes?
LH: I was only there for a few days, and I was a little nervous because you’re going onto somebody else’s job and story and character and you’re stepping on for a few days. So, it’s always that thing of like, I hope I bring it. But Bob and Ben were both super collaborative and warm and open.
MF: Bob, what was your experience like working with Lena?
BO: I mean, one of us got a master class in acting and I think it was me. She always brings it, you can be sure of that and nobody else could have played this character, Moira, like Lena did. I mean, the depth and the texture and the smile in her performance, and the smile for the audience. They know the purpose of her character right away, which is to cut open the story and lay it bare for you.
Henry Winkler in ‘Normal’, a Magnolia Pictures release. Photo courtesy of Magnolia Pictures.
MF: Henry, you mentioned you and Bob are friends and you have some intense scenes together. What was it like for you shooting those scenes with Bob?
HW: As an actor your job is to separate the friendship and the reality of where you are, what’s going on in the world, and bring it right in to telling the story, to take the audience with you so that they have a really good time. So, that was not difficult and then when you are in a scene with him, he is so present that you literally just have a conversation with this guy, the interim sheriff, who is figuring out the real problem under the town’s energy.
Ben Wheatley, director of ‘Normal’, a Magnolia Pictures release. Photo courtesy of Magnolia Pictures.
MF: Finally, Henry, as a director yourself, what did you learn from working with director Ben Wheatley and watching the way he makes movies?
HW: First, Ben is very easygoing and he’s just this big hulk of a guy. He comes up to you and he goes, “Do you think you should bring that down a little? Do you think your energy might be a little high?” Any actor who thinks they can do it without a third eye, is a liar. You need somebody who’s got the vision, and Bob and Ben knew exactly the story they wanted to tell. My job is not just to play the mayor, but my job is to fulfill their vision.
(L to R) Bob Odenkirk and Jess McLeod in ‘Normal’, a Magnolia Pictures release. Photo courtesy of Magnolia Pictures.
What is the plot of ‘Normal’?
Ulysses (Bob Odenkirk) comes to the sleepy town of Normal, Minnesota to serve as the temporary sheriff after the passing of the original sheriff. A bank robbery in Normal leads Ulysses to find that a criminal underground reaches throughout the entire town.
Bob Odenkirk as Hutch Mansell in ‘Nobody 2’, directed by Timo Tjahjanto. Photo: Universal Pictures.
With the original ‘Nobody’ in 2021, writer Derek Kolstad, director Ilya Naishuller, and star Bob Odenkirk found a way to freshen up the action subgenre in which a seemingly ordinary guy turns out to be a deadly assassin who only reluctantly deploys his brutal skills. The key was Odenkirk, who managed to make Hutch Mansell’s transformation from dyspeptic husband and dad into lethal killer funny, believable, and even a little sad.
A mild hit, ‘Nobody’ didn’t seem like it would be instant sequel fodder, but here we are. Except that four years later, with increasingly tired retreads of the same tropes like ‘Love Hurts,’‘A Working Man,’ and ‘Novocaine’ coming out in the last year alone, ‘Nobody 2’ simply offers up more of the same. Only it doesn’t even have the rudimentary character development of the first film; this one, directed by Indonesian action filmmaker Timo Tjahjanto, can’t find the same relatively successful blend of comedy and action and quickly turns silly, with the thin plot used mainly to stretch the film from one numbing action sequence to another. Odenkirk is watchable as always, but ‘Nobody 2’ is a sequel that fails to justify its existence.
Story and Direction
(L to R) Bob Odenkirk and director Timo Tjahjanto on the set of ‘Nobody 2’. Photo: Universal Pictures.
The movie begins the same way as the first one: with an injured Hutch in an interrogation room, facing two FBI agents who want to know who he is (only this time he’s not alone). Cue the title card and a rewind to a few days earlier. Hutch is back to full-time assassination work to pay off the $30 million debt he owes the government for covering the Russian mob money he torched in the first movie. His nonstop schedule has distanced him from his kids and his wife Becca (Connie Nielsen, with a bit more to do this time), who is also feeling them drift apart.
Hutch decides he needs a break and rounds up the family for a vacation to Plummerville, home of Wild Bill’s Majestic Midway and Waterpark, an amusement park which Hutch’s dad David (Christopher Lloyd) took him and his brother Harry (RZA) when they were kids. “Making memories” is the goal, and Hutch even brings his dad along to relive what he considered one of the happiest times of his life. But as his handler (Colin Salmon) warns: “The job is in your nature, and nature always wins.”
Sure enough, they’re barely at the park for a day when Hutch’s son runs afoul of some bullies at the arcade, leading to a violent altercation between Hutch and some security guards. That puts him on the radar of the park’s owner, Wyatt Martin (John Ortiz) and the corrupt Sheriff Abel (Colin Hanks), both of whom work for the psychopathic crime queen Lendina (Sharon Stone). Plummerville has become a front for Lendina’s nefarious drug and gun-running operation, and Hutch is not welcome.
Bob Odenkirk as Hutch Mansell in ‘Nobody 2’, directed by Timo Tjahjanto. Photo: Universal Pictures.
That’s about as far as the plot gets before it turns, as mentioned earlier, into just an excuse for escalating mayhem. Despite Odenkirk’s normal guy façade, Hutch is all but a superhero; he gets out of every scrape with a few dings (okay, and a missing fingertip) while leaving everyone else bashed to a pulp on the floor. No one in his family or his eventual team (which includes his dad, of course, as well as Harry – RZA showing up for a day’s work – and an ally one can see coming from a mile away) ever seems like they’re truly in danger, which makes the stakes for the characters almost non-existent.
And that’s what ultimately lets the air out of this largely joyless affair. Tjahjanto, making his Hollywood debut here after films like ‘May the Devil Take You,’ can speed up or slow down the action all he wants, but he doesn’t really do anything creative or exciting with it. It’s just Odenkirk (or his fight double) pummeling generic bad guys over and over again in increasingly silly and frenetic ways. The characterizations are skin-deep, and even the big bad, Sharon Stone’s Lendina, feels like she’s barely in the movie (which runs about 82 minutes before credits).
The film also utilizes the now customary gag of playing some upbeat pop standard underneath each scene of bone-crunching violence or destruction — as ironic counterpoint, we suppose — but it’s been done to death and isn’t amusing anymore. Then of course, there’s the montage where Hutch and friends prepare death traps in the amusement park in what seems like a full afternoon’s work, while Lendina and her army drive there at approximately two miles an hour. Meanwhile, the seeds of interesting ideas – mainly centering around Hutch’s influence on his kids and his relationship with Becca – are given lip service and then tossed aside without even bothering at a resolution.
Cast and Performances
Sharon Stone as Lendina in ‘Nobody 2’, directed by Timo Tjahjanto. Photo: Universal Pictures.
We’ll give credit where credit is due: Bob Odenkirk works hard to bring Hutch and the picture to life, and he commits to both the bit and the action in a way that at least seems honest. He’s the main reason one sticks with ‘Nobody 2,’ even if it sometimes feels like he’s alternating between two expressions – downtrodden and mad – the whole movie. As noted earlier, Connie Nielsen is kept a little busier this time around, but the simmering tension between Becca and Hutch never pays off.
As for the rest of the cast, the work is mostly phoned in. Ortiz and Hanks handle their paper-thin bad guys as best they can, while Christopher Lloyd and RZA look happy to be getting paid just to show up and stand around (the latter especially is barely in the film). As for Sharon Stone, she vamps and screeches and gyrates and generally chews up all the scenery she can find, but the character is so underwritten than even Stone going full psycho can’t make her particularly interesting.
If Timo Tjahjanto set out to bring any of the flavor of his work in Indonesia to a Hollywood action/comedy film, it doesn’t make an impression here. Aside from Odenkirk and Nielsen and a few sparsely funny moments sprinkled throughout, ‘Nobody 2’ is the definition of a sequel that no one in particular asked for.
It doesn’t advance the character of Hutch the way that the first film did, and it doesn’t fully embrace either its campiness or the potential grittiness of the action. It feels as insubstantial as a cartoon or video game, is as unrealistic as either of those, and doesn’t have anything that’s particularly interesting to say. Like its rudimentary story, the joke in ‘Nobody 2’ wears out fast.
What is the plot of ‘Nobody 2’?
Four years after he took on the Russian mob, husband, father and workaholic assassin Hutch Mansell (Bob Odenkirk) is working off his debt to them with an unending string of hits on international thugs. But when Hutch and his wife Becca (Connie Nielsen) decide to take their kids on a short vacation, a minor encounter with town bullies yanks the family into the crosshairs of an unhinged, blood-thirsty crime boss (Sharon Stone).
(L to R) Cynthia Erivo is Elphaba and Ariana Granda is Glinda in ‘Wicked’, directed by Jon M. Chu.
Preview:
‘Wicked: For Good’, ‘Jurassic World: Rebirth’ and more were showcased at Universal’s CinemaCon show.
There was news of sequels to the live-action ‘How to Train Your Dragon’ and ‘The Bad Guys.’
The likes of Jon M. Chu and Scarlett Johansson were on stage to support their movies.
Universal’s 2024 was successful partly thanks to Jon M. Chu’s musical adaptation ‘Wicked,’ and with follow-up ‘Wicked: For Good’ on the way this year, some of the studio’s focus was always going to be on the movie –– which features two new songs not found in the stage source material.
Beyond that, we were expecting peeks at movies from the studio’s various arms and partners at this year’s CinemaCon presentation, including horror home Blumhouse and DreamWorks Animation, which continues to push the likes of the ongoing ‘Shrek’ franchise and others.
And not forgetting dinosaurs: another jewel in Universal’s crown in the ‘Jurassic Park’/‘Jurassic World’ movies, and with ‘Jurassic World: Rebirth’ headed to theaters this summer, we’d have been shocked to not see something fresh from that.
(L to R) Luna Blaise and the T-Rex in ‘Jurassic World Rebirth’, directed by Gareth Edwards. Photo: Universal Pictures.
Here’s what happened at the studio’s show and tell…
Universal’s big display kicked off sonically, with the company’s President of music and publishing Mike Knobloch introducing Rickey Minor and an all-star orchestra playing a collection of tunes from the studio’s back catalogue –– ‘Jurassic Park,’ ‘Fast & Furious,’ ‘Despicable Me,’ ‘Jaws’ and even the likes of DreamWorks Animation’s ‘Shrek’ and ‘How to Train Your Dragon,’ with clips from the movies on screens.
And, naturally, last year’s huge smash was among them, with ‘Wicked’ fully represented.
Universal chairman Donna Langley arrived on stage to celebrate the fact that the studio has released more theatrical movies since the pandemic than any other. She bypassed the idea that shrinking theatrical windows were to blame for audiences skipping cinemas.
Pete Levinson, the chairman of Universal distribution took over to essentially praise the company for its $3 billion in grosses last year. And to remind us all that ‘Wicked: For Good’ is on the way in November.
Scarlett Johansson as skilled covert operations expert Zora Bennett in ‘Jurassic World Rebirth’, directed by Gareth Edwards. Photo: Universal Pictures.
Noted dino fan Johansson related how she’s tried to get cast in all three previous ‘Jurassic World’ movies without success, eventually collaring Steven Spielberg to plead her case.
Edwards joked she was probably too expensive for the films –– which didn’t seem to sit well with Scarlet (probably all in good fun?)
The director also recalled watching the original ‘Jurassic Park’ as a kid (10 times in a day!) and how much of an honor it is direct this talented cast in a ‘Jurassic’ movie. He dropped mention that Mahershala is an Oscar winner, to which Ali comically corrected him that he has two!
Mahershala Ali is Duncan Kincaid in ‘Jurassic World Rebirth’, directed by Gareth Edwards. Photo: Universal Pictures.
‘Jurassic World: Rebirth’ filmed in Thailand, with Johansson recalling many “pinch me’ moments on set and on location.
The trio introduced some fresh footage from the movie –– some of it unfinished. Mahershala said he’d seen it, to which Scarlet joked she was supposed to see everything first per her contract.
As for the footage, it largely tracked what we saw in the first trailer, with Johansson’s specialist leading a team to an abandoned ‘Jurassic Park’ staging island to retrieve genetic material to source lifegiving medical cures. A new hybrid dino we’ve yet to meet
UfvDZx43
‘Jurassic World: Rebirth’ stomps into theaters on July 2nd.
(from left) Mr. Snake (Marc Maron), Mr. Shark (Craig Robinson), Mr. Wolf (Sam Rockwell), Mr. Piranha (Anthony Ramos) and Ms. Tarantula (Awkwafina) in DreamWorks Animation’s ‘The Bad Guys 2’, directed by Pierre Perifel. Photo: Universal Pictures.
Following their short before ‘Dog Man,’ the ‘Bad Guys’ crew will be properly back on our screen later this year.
(from left) Hiccup (Mason Thames) and Stoick (Gerard Butler) in Universal Pictures’ live- action ‘How to Train Your Dragon’, written and directed by Dean DeBlois. Photo: Universal Pictures.
The live-action/CG take on the tale (which screened earlier in the day at the event to generally great acclaim) had stars Gerard Butler and Nico Parker on stage alongside director Dean DeBlois to talk it up.
They also announced that a sequel has already been greenlit, and that that one will fly into theaters on June 11th, 2027.
Butler was also given the chance to set the orchestra playing some of John Powell’s recognizable score.
‘How to Train Your Dragon’s live-action remake will be flying into cinemas on June 13th.
6iSOkm8wH6ERhulOvteW45
The whistlestop presentation moved onto…
‘HIM’
Produced by Jordan Peele, the blend of sports story and horror sees a promising young football player joining an isolated compound to train under a dynasty team’s aging quarterback.
Bob Odenkirk in ‘Nobody.’ Photo: Universal Pictures.
The sequel to the 2021 Bob Odenkirk-starring action movie showcased its first trailer, full of more bone-crunching action, with Sharon stone joining the cast. The story this time finds Hutch Parker (Odenkirk) taking the family on vacation, only to run afoul of Stone’s criminal organization. Cue vengeance!
The movie hits cinemas on August 15th.
K3fUW3hpY6YwKgjyql23P3
Next, it was the turn of Focus Features…
Focus chairman Peter Kujawski took the stage to hype his studio arm’s upcoming titles and say that every film by the company is made for theatrical.
Toy Freddy in ‘Five Nights at Freddy’s 2’, directed by Emma Tammi. Photo: Universal Pictures. Photo Credit: Universal Pictures Toy Freddy in Five Nights at Freddy’s 2, directed by Emma Tammi. Photo Credit: Universal Pictures
The orchestra struck up music of the video game adaptation, which heralded one of the animatronic characters (well, a suit based on them) striding on stage.
After some confusion as to how to remove the head, it turned out to be company boss Jason Blum, who joked he so loves to save money that he was in the costumes the whole time for the original movie.
The original ‘Freddy’s is Blumhouse’s biggest hit of all time, so of course the sequel is already in the works. Blum also apologized for the decision to make that movie day and date on Peacock, so this follow-up will be cinemas only upon release.
And that release? December 5th.
mUHqMLDRZnVQTKeqBMpHY
Blum also cued up a teaser, which sees the return of Josh Hutcherson’s Mike and more animatronic chaos.
Ethan Hawke as The Grabber in ‘The Black Phone,’ directed by Scott Derrickson.
Not done with the costume theatrics, Blum arrived back on stage in a Grabber mask to offer that the sequel to Scott Derrickson’s 2021 kidnap horror thriller will be in theaters on October 17th.
Actor Madeleine McGraw, who returns for the new movie (and is CinemaCon 2025 Rising Star of the Year), joined Blum on stage to talk about the movie, which is Derrickson’s first-ever sequel.
We were treated to a first look trailer for the new movie. The footage finds the two kids (played by McGraw and Mason Thames) dealing with the repercussions of the first movie. Ethan Hawke’s Grabber is back –– even though he died –– but we only hear his voice in the trailer.
‘Aquaman and the Lost Kingdom’ director James Wan at CinemaCon 2022. Photos by Eric Charbonneau.
Atomic Monster boss James Wan –– whose company has formed a creative partnership with Blumhouse –– came on stage to talk up ‘Soulm8te,’ which if it sounds like a more grown up take on ‘M3GAN’ (or really, ‘Companion,’ with its story of a female robo-partner who turns out to be an issue), that’s because it’s set in the same universe as the devious doll.
‘Soulm8te’s first look played, followed by word of a January 2md. 2026 release.
FY9I2ohyPdSsD5puMSdMp6
And then…
2026 Universal Preview
‘The Super Mario Bros. Movie’ will open in theaters on April 7, 2023.
Jim Orr, the studio’s president of theatrical distribution, came on stage to discuss even further in the future. To coin a phrase, more sequels!
He confirmed the likes of ‘Super Mario Bros. Movie 2′ (April 2026), ‘Minions 3’ (July 2026) and ‘Shrek 5‘ (yes, featuring Zendaya in a voice role, arriving Christmas 2026).
But there are originals too, including Christopher Nolan’s epic ‘The Odyssey’ (July 2026) and a certain Mr. Steven Spielberg’s still-to-be-titled new event movie, which will arrive in June 2026.
Cynthia Erivo is Elphaba in ‘Wicked’, directed by Jon M. Chu.
To the strains of ‘Defying Gravity,’ the presentation wrapped with ‘Wicked’ stars Cynthia Erivo and Ariana Grande taking the stage –– and, yes, referring to holding space as per the viral interview meme –– to discuss the follow-up, and thank theater owners for their support.
They were joined by producer Marc Platt and director Jon M. Chu, who joked that this is the third year his movie(s) have closed out a Universal CinemaCon presentation.
Chu quipped:
“It all worked out!”
(Center L to R) Cynthia Erivo (as Elphaba), Director Jon M. Chu, and Ariana Granda (as Glinda) on the set of ‘Wicked’. Photo: Universal Pictures.
Getting serious to discuss how the new movie follows the ramifications of the young women’s choices from the original.
We got a first look at the movie via an extended trailer, which finds Glinda and Elphaba meeting again after some time has passed since the end of ‘Wicked.’
Elphaba uses her powers to write, The Wizard of Oz Lies!” in the sky, while we get our first clear look at Dorothy, the Scarecrow, the Tin Man and the Cowardly Lion.
‘Wicked: For Good’ soars on to screens on November 21st.
pesbpRntTGmaBaUY09OT
And with that… Universal was done for CinemaCon 2025!
Ariana Grande is Glinda in ‘Wicked’, directed by Jon M. Chu. Photo: Universal Pictures.
Sharon Stone has joined the sequel to 2021 action pic ‘Nobody’.
Bob Odenkirk is back to star.
Timo Tjahjanto has the job of directing the new movie.
Though Sharon Stone these days tends to devote herself to charitable endeavors off-screen, she still pops up in the odd movie here and there.
And while she may forever be associated with her most famous performance in erotic thriller ‘Basic Instinct’, Stone has had some other memorable roles, including ‘Casino’ and, on the other end of the critical reception spectrum, ‘Catwoman’, in which she played the scheming Laurel Hedare.
Yet she seems happy to be villainous again, signing up for the sequel to 2021 action thriller ‘Nobody’, which starred Bob Odenkirk and became a surprise pandemic hit, earning more than $57 million from a $16 million budget.
K3fUW3hpY6YwKgjyql23P3
What was the story of ‘Nobody’?
Bob Odenkirk in ‘Nobody.’ Photo: Universal Pictures.
‘Nobody’ saw Odenkirk as Hutch Mansell, an underestimated and overlooked dad and husband, taking life’s indignities on the chin and never pushing back. A nobody.
When two thieves break into his suburban home one night, Hutch declines to defend himself or his family, hoping to prevent serious violence. His teenage son, Blake (Gage Munroe), is disappointed in him and his wife, Becca (Connie Nielsen), seems to pull only further away.
The aftermath of the incident strikes a match to Hutch’s long-simmering rage, triggering dormant instincts and propelling him on a brutal path that will surface dark secrets and lethal skills. In a barrage of fists, gunfire and squealing tires, Hutch must save his family from a dangerous adversary.
Bob Odenkirk in ‘Nobody.’ Photo: Universal Pictures.
There are zero official plot details for the new movie –– once again written by Derek Kolstad, this time joined by Aaron Rabin, Odenkirk and Umair Aleem –– though the end of the original did hint at Hutch continuing to embrace his re-emerged badass side, with Becca playing a more active part.
We do at least know he’ll be facing a threat from Stone’s character, though whether she’s someone from his past or a brand new problem remains to be seen.
Who is making ‘Nobody 2’?
Bob Odenkirk in ‘Nobody.’ Photo: Universal Pictures.
On the evidence of his past work, he certainly has the action credentials to pull off something good.
Producing once more via their 87North company are filmmaker David Leitch and producer partner Kelly McCormick, no strangers to action themselves, having most recently released ‘The Fall Guy’.
When will ‘Nobody 2’ be in theaters?
Studio backers Universal have set an August 15th, 2025 release date for the ‘Nobody’ sequel.
Bob Odenkirk in ‘Nobody.’ Photo: Universal Pictures.
Bob Odenkirk in ‘Nobody.’ Photo: Universal Pictures.
Preview:
Bob Odenkirk has made a deal to return for ‘Nobody 2’.
Timo Tjahjanto will direct the action sequel.
The movie is scheduled for an August 2025 release slot.
While few could have predicted back in 2021 that Bob Odenkirk –– then best known for his comedy work and mixing that with drama for ‘Breaking Bad’/’Better Call Saul’ –– would become a bona fide action star in the ‘John Wick’ or Liam Neeson mold.
And then along came ‘Nobody’, written by ‘Wick’s Derek Kolstad and directed by Ilya Naishuller, which changed the game. Shot for $16 million, it debuted at No.1 at the domestic box office, grossing more than $57M worldwide.
It’s not a shock, then, to learn that a sequel has been in development for a while, and now has Odenkirk officially set to return.
K3fUW3hpY6YwKgjyql23P3
What was the story of ‘Nobody’?
Bob Odenkirk in ‘Nobody.’ Photo: Universal Pictures.
‘Nobody’ saw Odenkirk as Hutch Mansell, an underestimated and overlooked dad and husband, taking life’s indignities on the chin and never pushing back. A nobody.
When two thieves break into his suburban home one night, Hutch declines to defend himself or his family, hoping to prevent serious violence. His teenage son, Blake (Gage Munroe), is disappointed in him and his wife, Becca (Connie Nielsen), seems to pull only further away.
The aftermath of the incident strikes a match to Hutch’s long-simmering rage, triggering dormant instincts and propelling him on a brutal path that will surface dark secrets and lethal skills. In a barrage of fists, gunfire and squealing tires, Hutch must save his family from a dangerous adversary.
There are zero official plot details for the new movie –– once again written by Derek Kolstad –– though the end of the original did hint at Hutch continuing to embrace his re-emerged badass side, with Becca playing a more active part.
Who is making ‘Nobody 2’?
A scene from director Timo Tjahjanto’s ‘May the Devil Take You’. Photo: Netflix.
On the evidence of his past work, he certainly has the action credentials to pull off something good.
Producing once more via their 87North company are filmmaker David Leitch and producer partner Kelly McCormick, no strangers to action themselves.
What else does Bob Odenkirk have on his schedule?
Bob Odenkirk in ‘Nobody.’ Photo: Universal Pictures.
Odenkirk is also attached to star in new Ben Wheatley (‘The Meg 2’) action movie ‘Normal’, which will see him as a man unexpectedly thrust into the temporary role as Sheriff in a small town when criminals hit it and dark secrets are revealed.
And he’s part of the cast for ‘The Room Returns!’ a tribute to Tommy Wiseau’s infamous 2003 cult drama, roundly considered one of the worst movies of all time, but long since lovingly embraced by comedians and fans.
When will ‘Nobody 2’ punch its way into theaters?
Universal has scheduled the action sequel for an August 15th, 2025, release date.
Bob Odenkirk in ‘Nobody.’ Photo: Universal Pictures.
