Josh Safdie’s ‘Marty Supreme’ is “Unlike Anything” in Current Cinema, and Has Over 140 Different Characters

Cinematographer Darius Khondji is teasing one of our most anticipated films of the year.

Josh Safdie’s “Marty Supreme,” starring Timothee Chalamet as table tennis champion Marty Mauser, already has a Christmas release lined up via A24. There’s been a slew of actors announced as having been part of the ensemble, including Chalamet, Gwyneth Paltrow, Fran Drescher, Tyler The Creator, and Kevin O’Leary.

Khondji says that “Man on Wire” himself Philippe Petit has a small part in the film; According to Khondji, Petit is one of what the cinematographer claims are 140 different characters featured in the film!

Khondji adds that Marty Supreme “will be ready at the end of the year”, or at least when he’s done doing the colouring on the film. The film is going to be “unlike anything at the moment.”

Khondji previously worked with Safdie and brother Benny on “Uncut Gems, but Josh going solo “didn’t make a difference,” Khondji said. “Josh has incredible energy to make films, like no-one else I’ve experienced. In every shot, he surprises you of what’s going to come. He works like this - it’s continuous inspiration, intuition. He goes somewhere with the actors, with the camera, that you don’t expect. It’s not always easy, but the result is special.”

Set in the 1950s, “Marty Supreme” will tell the wild story of a Ping Pong champion. It is said to be a “fictional work,” but Marty Reisman’s was used as a template. The screenplay was written by Safdie and Ronald Bronstein. Last year, it had been reported that Safdie’s film cost close to $90M to produce. It’s by far A24’s most expensive film to date, surpassing last year’s “Civil War” which cost around $50M.

Additionally, “Marty Supreme” will not be a traditional biopic and was instead shot as a “fast-paced, globetrotting adventure-comedy” in the same vein of ‘The Wolf of Wall Street’ and ‘Catch Me If You Can.