A24 has now released the trailer for Tony. The biopic looks to show how the famous traveling chef was navigating his young adulthood, falling into the hands of Antonio Banderas’ character and the cooking world. Get ready to feel hungry. From filmmaker Matt Johnson (NIRVANNA THE BAND THE SHOW THE MOVIE, BLACKBERRY) comes an electric and nostalgic tale that captures the season that changed the course of Anthony Bourdain’s life. Dominic Sessa (breakout from THE HOLDOVERS) stars as a 19-year-old Bourdain who travels to Provincetown and stumbles into the chaotic world of a restaurant kitchen. Antonio Banderas, Leo Woodall, Emilia Jones, and Stavros Halkias round out the ensemble.
Anthony Bourdain’s Estate has also released a statement on the release of this film.
“Anthony Bourdain’s legacy is meaningful to millions of people. He was a man who valued authenticity above all else and would have been both moved and baffled by the world’s curiosity about his life.
We chose to support TONY because it is not a standard biopic and doesn’t attempt to summarize a life. Guided by the vision of director Matt Johnson, the film depicts one transformative summer in 1975 in Provincetown, Massachusetts. It is an interpretation as that part of Tony’s life will always remain somewhat unknown.
We appreciate the portrayal of Tony’s complexity, his intellectual appetite and his conviction — qualities that eventually took him around the globe and endeared him to so many. We hope this film serves as a reminder that every journey has a start, and that audiences see the beginnings of the man who taught us how to be better explorers on our own paths.“
Antonio Banderas gets into the kitchen as the mentor of a young Anthony Bourdain for the biopic, Tony. Banderas talked about the unique shoot, as he walked away from production every day with a stench on him. The actor laughed, “We spent a month and a half filming in Cape Cod and Newport, constantly surrounded by the smell of fish. Every time I came back to the hotel, I had to shower because I absolutely reeked — I was cleaning fish every single day!”
Yesterday, before the main course was served, A24 released the poster for Tony. On their social media, A24 posts, “Enjoy the ride. TONY trailer tomorrow.” The poster is simple and looks like a throwback to a 70s film. It features Dominic Sessa as the young chef in the middle of the hustle and bustle of a busy kitchen. A quote from Bourdain is featured on the poster that reads, “I Was – To Be Frank- A Spoiled, Miserable, Narcissistic, Self-Destructive And Thoughtless Young Lout, And Badly In Need Of A Good Ass-Kicking.”
Above is A24’s social media announcement. Check out the poster below.
Tony is said to reimagine Bourdain as “an aimless young man.” Banderas explained, “After finishing university, [Bourdain] originally wanted to become a writer. But almost immediately, he began struggling with depression and drug addiction, so the film explores the very difficult early years of his life.” Banderas is playing a composite character from Bourdain’s life. He is a Brazilian-born restaurateur who takes the young Tony under his wing. The Mask of Zorro star states, “Through this relationship, Tony begins to truly learn how to cook. So the film is not just about cuisine or culinary techniques; it’s about his life, his identity, and his way of being — shaped by this unique mentor.”
He added, “My character studied at the finest institutions, graduating from the best gastronomy schools, yet he always remained an outsider. He created his own restaurant outside the traditional world of elite chefs, developing his own dishes with ingredients accessible to ordinary communities — simple food for everyday people.”
While a particular date is yet to be announced, Tony travels to theaters in August.