A24 has become a powerhouse in independent film, showcasing the industry’s most creatively artistic filmmakers, and delivering unique opportunities to Hollywood’s biggest talents. The company dominated the 2023 Oscars, not only reviving the film careers of actors like Brendan Fraser and Ke Huy Quan, but securing them their first big wins as well, for The Whale and Everything Everywhere All At Once, respectively. Beyond reigning supreme at award shows, A24 has offered new life for legacy actors such as Jamie Lee Curtis, Adam Sandler, and Robert Pattinson. The pattern looks to continue with three major A-listers leading upcoming A24 releases, including The Smashing Machine.
Timothee Chalamet, Dwayne “The Rock” Johnson, and Zac Efron are among the list of actors looking to take advantage of A24’s Oscar success, coming off of the company’s biggest and most expensive movie to-date. Alex Garland’s dystopian thriller Civil War was distributed by A24 with a $50 million budget, but put up impressive numbers at the box office, becoming their second highest-grossing project. With its box office haul, and their eye for innovative audience experiences, plenty of big-named actors are looking to be a part of A24’s future lineup, and it has a high chance of paying off.
Timothee Chalamet’s Ping-Pong Movie Could Finally Win Him An Oscar
Chalamet Is Teaming Up With Josh Safdie Right After Bob Dylan Biopic
A24 and The Safdie Brothers have proved to be perfect collaborators after the positive reception of their last two features together, Good Times and Uncut Gems. The brothers recently split up ahead of their next Adam Sandler project to direct their own individual visions, but A24 is still at the head of the table. They recently announced that Josh Safdie’s next movie will be Marty Supreme, about the American-born hustler turned ping-pong wizard Marty Reisman. It will be produced and led by Timothee Chalamet, who is also set to portray Bob Dylan in another upcoming biopic, A Complete Unknown, which explores the singer’s impact on electric instrumentation.
Chalamet is one of the most talked-about actors in Hollywood, and has tackled many iconic roles over the years, from Paul Atreides in Dune to the world’s most famous fictional chocolate maker in Wonka. None have led to the Oscar buzz that the early part of his career was full of, when he starred in Lady Bird and Call Me By Your Name, which were more favored during award season. If playing Bob Dylan doesn’t capture the Academy’s attention this December,Chalamet returns to A24 with a follow-up performance in Marty Supreme that could be the second chance needed to win Best Actor and create a new legacy for himself.
Dwayne Johnson Is Unrecognizable In The Smashing Machine
The Rock Is Set To Lead A24’s Indie Sports Drama
Dwayne “The Rock” Johnson is an extremely influential action star with an impressive list of accolades beyond his movie career, winning wrestling championships, launching top-selling products, and featuring on viral rap singles. However, his acting abilities have often been questioned and attacked by critics as he continues to stay within his comfort zone and out of the indie scene, but The Smashing Machine could finally launch Johnson into the Oscars conversation. The movie follows the life and career of MMA fighter Mark Kerr, and is the next collaboration between A24 and the other Safdie brother, Benny.
In early photos that have been released, The Rock appears unrecognizable behind the hair and makeup that transforms him into Kerr, clapping back at the criticism Dwayne Johnson has faced. His production company, Seven Bucks, is also behind the project, and Johnson has been slated for the lead role since the very beginning, indicating that The Smashing Machine is very much a passion project for the WWE superstar and actor.
Emily Blunt, a familiar co-star of Johnson’s, was cast as Mark Kerr’s wife, Dawn Staples, marking the A24 debut for both actors. There’s no way to know if this will have the same impact as some of A24’s other movies, but it is already evident that when the true story releases in 2025, we will see an entirely different side of Dwayne Johnson.
Zac Efron Has Another Oscars Contender After The Iron Claw
Efron Is Back With A Vengeance After Being Snubbed For Best Actor
High School Musical launched Zac Efron’s career nearly 20 years ago, and he has returned to his musical roots with movies like The Greatest Showman, but he refuses to be defined by his vocal ability. The last time Efron teamed up with A24, he really got to flex his acting chops, as The Iron Claw was an emotional roller coaster that delivered his career-best performance. In the 2023 movie, Efron played Kevin Von Erich, the last surviving member of the famous wrestling family. After The Iron Claw’s positive reception and further success on streaming, Efron was not among the actors nominated for Best Actor at this year’s Oscars.
The actor is reuniting with A24 in the Jody Hill directed celebrity thriller Famous, where Efron will take on the dual roles of Hollywood icon James Jansen and an overzealous super-fan. This is the first time in Efron’s career that he will play two characters in the same movie, taking his creative relationship with A24 to the next level. Pushing himself to the limits and learning to wrestle in The Iron Claw wasn’t enough to fill the empty space on his trophy shelf, but Famous is a for-sure Oscar contender. A24’s current grip on the award scene could break Efron’s unfortunate Oscars streak in a big way, along with Timothee Chalamet and The Rock, but if the movies stick to their slated 2025 release, only one can actually be crowned a winner.