The new and upcoming A24 biopic drama about American chef and author Anthony Bourdain, Tony, is set to bring a large part of his undocumented life on screen.
Directed by Matt Johnson and portrayed by Dominic Sessa, Tony, focusses on a little-known chapter of Bourdain's life, centering on a transformative summer in 1975 when he was 19 years old and working in Provincetown, Massachusetts.
With the trailer launch on later today, A24 has released the first poster for the movie that is said to move beyond the chef and television host's full life story and narrow its scope to explore the early experiences that helped shape his voice and worldview.
The screenplay co-written by Johnson along with Matthew Miller, Todd Bartels, and Lou Howe aims to depict the formative experiences of young Bourdain that led him to discover his passion for food and storytelling. Though the Bourdain estate has stated the film is intended as an interpretation of a pivotal moment in his early life than a comprehensive biopic. It also emphasised that the film captures his complexity, curiosity and evolving sense of purpose.
“Those two chapters of Kitchen Confidential read like ‘Genesis’ to me,” said Johnson in an interview with Entertainment Weekly. “So little happens, but the margins are packed. It meant the cast, and I could investigate this man’s origin together, knowing only where he would end up 20 years later.”
In newly unveiled images of Sessa portraying a young Bourdain glimpse into the culture of restaurant life and the pressures that come along with it. The supporting cast includes Antonio Banderas, Emilia Jones, and Leo Woodall suggesting a character-driven ensemble set within the culinary world.
Sessa, who previously gained recognition for his performance in The Holdovers alongside Paul Giamatti and Now You See Me: Now You Don't described Bourdain as someone driven by a desire to learn from others and a reluctance to position himself as the most knowledgeable person in the room.
The poster gives us our first glimpse of the actor in a chef's apron, a scene similar to something one would catch on The Bear. Along with poster reveal, A24 also announced that the film's first trailer will be released online on May 5 ET time. But the expected arrival in theatres is said to be in August 2026.
The poster also highlights a quote from Bourdain 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," suggesting the tone and mood of the upcoming film.