A24 has pulled out all the stops for their upcoming film, Marty Supreme, with a big budget and big names. The trailer for the film has been released, and it looks spectacular. In director Josh Safdie’s movie, Timothée Chalamet looks great. He’s taking on another biographical role, this time as Marty Mauser, based on the real-life Marty Reisman.
But there’s an entirely different reason cinema fans are feeling excited: the revelation that Tyler Okonma, aka Tyler, the Creator, will make his silver-screen acting debut. And it was only a matter of time…
It Was on the Cards for Tyler, the Creator
The clue to his casting is in his name. Creative to the core, Okonma has pushed sonic and visual boundaries as a master storyteller for years with screen presence to boot. He’s not new to acting, having starred in and directed his music videos, including his latest drop, “Sugar on My Tongue,” made a cameo in The Mindy Project, and co-created and voiced the adult animated series The Jellies! As it stands, it’s unknown what role he plays in Marty Supreme, but it represents one giant leap into dramatic filmmaking — who knows where it will lead?
Marty Supreme is inspired by legendary ping-pong player Reisman, who exuded a flamboyant style and displayed exceptional skill — a character worthy of cinematic treatment. Cinematographer Darius Khondji told Variety that, like Chalamet’s preparation for his role as Bob Dylan in A Complete Unknown, he threw himself into intense training: “He wanted to be like a real [professional] ping pong player when he started shooting,” adding that Chalamet in the film is surrounded by “some of the greatest real ping pong champions playing today.” In the trailer, we see Chalamet flirting with Gwyneth Paltrow, who plays a Hollywood star, purring, “I’ve never talked to an actual movie star… You know, I’m something of a performer, too.” The cast also includes Kevin O’Leary, Odessa A’zion, and Fran Drescher as Marty’s mom.
Safide Goes It Alone for the First Time Since 2008
Safdie stepped back behind the camera, working alone for the first time since his 2008 solo effort The Pleasure of Being Robbed. This new venture comes after a five-year hiatus from directing, following the highly successful Uncut Gems, which he co-directed with his brother, Benny. Teaming up once again with collaborator Ronald Bronstein, Safdie has written the screenplay and taken on producing duties with Bronstein, Eli Bush, Anthony Katagas, Chalamet himself, and A24.
Marty Supreme could be the Christmas present we never knew we needed, and Okonma seems more than ready. With Chalamet set to deliver another five-star lead performance, Marty Supreme will be more than your average sports movie. Two of contemporary culture’s top performers at the peak of their game are united by a visionary who won Best Director at the Spirit Awards, premiered works at Cannes, and collaborated with Martin Scorsese. Everything points to greatness, exactly like Reisman strove for. Marty Supreme hits theaters on Christmas Day.
This story originally appeared on Movieweb
