Few actors have managed to establish themselves as more exciting or versatile through the first decade of their career than Timothee Chalamet. While not every movie he’s been in has been great, the young actor has done enough compelling work to make every project he takes on exciting.
That’s just part of the reason we’re so excited for Marty Supreme. The movie, which stars Chalamet, is directed Josh Safdie, whose last movie, Uncut Gems, was tense, to say the least. The movie is being produced by A24, which has one of the best track records of any indie studio working today. Here’s what we know about the movie, including when it’s coming out, who’s in the cast, and what it’s actually about:
What is Marty Supreme about?
While we know that the movie is set in the 1950s, other plot details about Marty Supreme are being kept largely under wraps. We do know some things, though, because the film is loosely based on the true story of Martin ‘Marty’ Reisman, a table tennis legend who played in the 1940s and 1950s.
If the movie is set during the 1950s, then it’s set when Marty was at the peak of his career, but it’s unclear how much it will balance Marty’s table tennis career with his penchant for smooth-talking and for losing all the money he won. Given the kind of tense, uncomfortable movies that the Safdies usually make, it seems like Marty might be the perfect archetype for that kind of movie. It seems likely that Marty will get in way over his head, and have to figure out how to get himself out of some sort of sticky situation.
Is Marty Supreme based on a real person?
Martin ‘Marty’ Reisman was a real table tennis who won the men’s singles championship in 1958 and 1960. He was a fixture of the lower East Side and was born and raised in New York, and was known to be something of a hustler. All-told, he won 22 major table tennis championships after learning the game beginning at age 9.
Who is in the cast for Marty Supreme?
In addition to Chalamet, Marty Supreme also features the return of Gwyneth Paltrow to acting after a five-year hiatus. In interviews she’s given already, she’s suggested that she has some intimate scenes with Chalamet.
“I think it’s weird,” Paltrow said of filming intimate scenes for the movie during an interview with Drew Barrymore. “It’s like, you’re making out with someone that you’re not in a relationship with. There’s no romance. It’s very mechanical. It’s like choreography but involving tongues.”
Paltrow also had some praise for her co-star. “He is such a wonderful young man,” she said. “He’s very polite, very talented. Just so nice to be with. I’m really having a good time with him. I’m glad that I put myself, you know, out of…just sort of back into fear a little bit again.”
In addition to Paltrow, we know that the movie also stars Tyler, The Creator, Fran Drescher, and Sandra Bernhard. Drescher will reportedly play Chalamet’s mother in the film.
Who is directing Marty Supreme?
Marty Supreme is being directed by Josh Safdie, one-half of the Safdie brothers who had previously directed projects like Uncut Gems and Good Time together. Safdie also co-wrote the script with Ronald Bronstein after the two last teamed up to write the script for Uncut Gems.
What is the release date for Marty Supreme?
Marty Supreme is currently set for a Dec. 25, 2025 release date, which means that it will hit theaters during one of the busiest times of the year at the box office. Although Chalamet is coming off of an Oscar nomination for his performance in A Complete Unknown, we don’t yet know whether Marty Supreme will break through at the Oscars.
Adam Sandler got plenty of love for his performance in Uncut Gems, but he wasn’t ultimately nominated for the Oscar, perhaps in part because the Safdies’ movies tend to be a bit dark and alienating. We won’t know for sure just how dark and alienating Marty Supreme is until December, though, when we can see it for ourselves.
What is the budget for Marty Supreme?
Deadline has reported that the budget for Marty Supreme is between $70 and $90 million, which is quite high for a movie that would seem to have a relatively small story. It’s possible that both Chalamet and Paltrow demanded relatively high pay to participate in the project, though, and Chalamet has proven that his name can lead to box office success. We don’t know what else the money might have gone towards, other than shooting on location in New York City. If that reported budget is accurate, it would make Marty Supreme one of A24’s most expensive movies to date.
