Last year, Dominic Sessa, who gained attention for his lead turn in “The Holdovers,” was cast as the late Anthony Bourdain in “Tony,” an upcoming film produced by A24. We can now also add Antonio Banderas to the cast, in an as-of-yet undisclosed role.
The project will be directed by Matt Johnson, known for 2023’s acclaimed “Blackberry.” The screenplay comes from Todd Bartel and Lou Howe. Cameras are set to roll next month in Massachusetts.
Though plot specifics are still technically under wraps, “Tony” is supposed to take place in 1976 when a young Bourdain had a life-changing experience working and living in Provincetown, Mass.
Bourdain made his mark in the culinary world as an executive chef in Manhattan during the 1980s. His breakthrough came with the release of Kitchen Confidential: “Adventures in the Culinary Underbelly,” a bestselling memoir that propelled him to stardom.
Known for his raw honesty and no-nonsense perspective on food and culture, Bourdain became a beloved figure through his Travel Channel series “Anthony Bourdain: No Reservations, “which aired for eight seasons. He died by suicide in 2018.
Would Bourdain have approved of a Hollywood biopic about his life? Probably not. He wasn’t the type to seek artifice out of the spotlight. In fact, this film feels like the kind of thing he would’ve resisted most.
Regardless, Johnson is a talented filmmaker, and maybe “Tony” will have the same urgent and chaotic style as he used in “Blackberry,” including the handheld camerawork, and rapid zooms.
Criterion's December lineup has some great additions to the library, but the title that jumped out at me is Werner Herzog's "Grizzly Man," which officially joins the Collection on December 8.