Trailer for new Anthony Bourdain biopic drops - not everyone's happy
A24’s young Anthony Bourdain biopic starring a British Academy Film Award-nominee has divided fans online, with some calling it a ‘complete misrepresentation’ of the celebrity chef.
Bourdian, a graduate of the Culinary Institute of America, is best known for his New York Times best-selling book, Kitchen Confidential: Adventures in the Culinary Underbelly, as well as hosting Parts Unknown, a CNN TV programmethat spanned 12 seasons.
He was working on an episode of the show centred in Stasbourg, France, at the time of his death on 8 June 2018.
Almost eight years later, and The Holdover’s Dominic Sessa is stepping out as a younger version of the star in Tony.
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The A24 flick, directed by BlackBerry’s Matt Johnson, is set in 1976 when the 19-year-old Bourdain took a summer job at a restaurant in Cape Cod.
There, the budding writer is tutored by Brazilian-born restaurateur Ciro (played by Antonio Banderas), while working alongside Dimitri (Stavros Halkias), Sal (Leo Woodall), and Tyrone (Michael Jibrin).
Tony is scheduled for release in the United States in August 2026.
You can check out the first full trailer below:
It appears that not everyone is impressed by Tony’s first look, with one X user typing: “The 2020s film fad seems to be movies about celebrities. We traded superheroes for famous people and made a lot of forgettable movies about them.”
A second said: “It feels like is missing something. Can’t really put my finger on it, but is not there.”
“Bourdain is, without doubt, rolling around in his grave rn cursing whoever thought this was a good idea,” alleged someone else.
A fourth added: “This is a complete misrepresentation of Tony !! First of all his occupation isn’t a chef, second of all he’s had short hair his entire life and third of all you can’t tell the story of Tony without including his tenure as a member of the Unbelievables. Will not be watching!!!”
Many seem to be excited by the prospect of Tony, with a social media user commenting: “Excellent book (Kitchen Confidential) and loved AB's inspiring food/travel shows. Can't wait to see this movie.”
Another penned: “This is a rad as f**k Matt Johnson could do no wrong and I seriously can see this being a great film.”
“Everyone is Ayo… Ayo is everyone…,” a third responded, sharing an image of The Bear actress Ayo Edebiri’s viral Instagram comment, which read: “I’m seated. The theatre employees are scared and asking me to leave because it’s ‘not August yet’ but I’m simply too seated.”
Despite the mixed reviews, the Bourdain estate has supported Tony, alleging it is not a ‘standard biopic’ that doesn’t attempt to ‘summarise a life’.
“Guided by the vision of director Matt Johnson, the film depicts one transformative summer in 1975 in Provincetown, Massachusetts,” a spokesperson told The Guardian.
“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,” it added.
Topics: TV and Film, Celebrity, Social Media
Ella Scott