The first trailer for director Josh Safdie’s highly anticipated film Marty Supreme has arrived, offering a glimpse at Timothée Chalamet’s transformation into a 1950s ping pong prodigy. The film, which comes from the acclaimed studio A24, is described with a tantalizing synopsis: “A young man with a dream no one respects goes to hell and back in pursuit of greatness.”
The sports dramedy is a fictionalized account of the life of Marty Reisman, a real-life five-time bronze medalist at the World Table Tennis Championships. The trailer introduces Chalamet as the titular Marty Mauser, and hints at a key plotline involving an affair with a famous movie star, played by Gwyneth Paltrow. Cinematographer Darius Khondji confirmed earlier this year that Chalamet undertook thorough training for the role, determined to be like a real professional player by the time shooting began.
In signature Safdie fashion, the film is populated by a uniquely eclectic and wide-ranging ensemble cast. Alongside Chalamet and Paltrow, the film features Fran Drescher as Marty’s mother, musician Tyler, the Creator, magician Penn Jillette, actress Odessa A’zion, “Shark Tank” personality Kevin O’Leary, and legendary “Bad Lieutenant” filmmaker Abel Ferrara.
Marty Supreme marks a major moment for its director, Josh Safdie. It is his first time directing since co-helming the critically acclaimed 2019 thriller Uncut Gems with his brother Benny, and his first solo feature film since his 2008 debut, The Pleasure of Being Robbed. Safdie co-wrote the script with his frequent collaborator Ronald Bronstein, and the two also serve as producers alongside Eli Bush, Anthony Katagas, Chalamet, and A24.
For Chalamet, the project is clearly a passion project. The Oscar-nominated actor has long been a vocal fan of the Safdie brothers’ work, writing an essay for Variety in 2019 in praise of Uncut Gems. “The pair have continuously put out contemporary, raw and untethered work over the last decade,” he wrote, “each film building on the traits of the prior, but never once sacrificing their innate grittiness.”
