A24’s Stoner-Comedy ‘Wizards!’ Sounds Disgusting

Australian director David Michôd released “The King” on Netflix in late 2019. Ever since then? Radio silence.

Michôd is silent no more, he’s back with another Australian crime film, although it doesn’t seem to resemble his “Animal Kingdom,” rather, it’s a pitch black stoner comedy. It also sounds very extreme.

“Wizards!” (exclamation mark included) follows Pete Davidson and Franz Rogowski as two pothead beach-bar operators who find a bag of stolen money. Their attempts to keep the money a secret start to unravel as the plot gets knottier.

Earlier in the year “Wizards!” was tipped to premiere during the fall festival season. Some had even mentioned Venice as a potential launchpad. Pete Davidson walking the Lido red carpet would be interesting.

A test-screening occurred many weeks ago. Here’s a reaction I got — it sounds, um … well just read what this person had to say:

What I saw was absolutely the most pointless film of the year. Two loser friends who bought an island resort accidentally find a duffel bag full of cash after a guest disappears mysteriously and leaves clues to an island where it’s buried. Sean Harris comes along and starts asking about any information as they try to keep it a secret, his psychotic tendencies start testing them and there is a moment where they are forced to eat shit, literal shit, a 5 minute moment of Rogowski eating a solid turd and Davidson eating liquid shit. It’s trying to be something in the vein of “The Beach Bum” and “Smiley Face” but there isn’t enough weed to save it.

What kind of movie does A24 have here? I tend to take most test-screening reactions with a grain of salt, as should you, so let’s not jump to conclusions here. However, based on that description alone, it sounds like Michôd will be pushing the boundaries of tastelessness.

Michôd writes and directs “Wizards!” His past directing credits include “Animal Kingdom,” “The Rover” and “War Machine.” None other than Joel Edgerton gets a story credit here. A24 is handling the film.