Timothée Chalamet has been preparing extensively for his role in Josh Safdie’s eagerly awaited film “Marty Supreme,” which tells the story of renowned ping pong player marty Reisman, according to insights from Darius Khondji, the film’s esteemed cinematographer. Khondji anticipates that this A24 production will be a major box office success upon its release during Christmas 2025.
in an interview with Diversity at the Doha Film Institute’s Qumra workshop, where he serves as a mentor, Khondji revealed that he has yet to see “Marty Supreme,” which is currently undergoing editing in New York City. However, he expressed enthusiasm about the project, stating that “everything I hear is remarkable” and emphasized how intense and dynamic the filming process was.
Chalamet dedicated five years to prepare for his portrayal of Bob Dylan in “A Total Unknown” and similarly invested notable effort into embodying Reisman—a hustler from Manhattan who amassed 22 major ping pong titles between 1946 and 2002. According to Khondji, Chalamet understood that while technical skills can be learned through various camera techniques, it was essential for him to capture an authentic essence: “You have to find a core.”
“he aimed to resemble a genuine [professional] ping pong player when filming began,” Khondji noted. He added that Chalamet shares scenes with some of today’s top real-life ping pong champions dressed as if they were from the 1950s.
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Khondji also mentioned that audiences will see a different side of Chalamet than they are accustomed to: “He is going to be vrey different from the Timothée Chalamet you’ve seen before.” He remarked that viewers might not recognize him at all and suggested that those watching “Marty Supreme” will not encounter thier typical romantic lead.While there is plenty of focus on ping pong within the narrative, he clarified: “The film encompasses much more than just ping pong.”
In related news, Gwyneth Paltrow recently announced her involvement in “Marty Supreme,” portraying the wife of a rival professional who becomes romantically entangled with Chalamet’s character amidst numerous intimate encounters.
khodnji further highlighted how both Chalamet and Paltrow are accompanied by approximately 140 non-professional actors throughout their scenes. This eclectic group includes notable figures such as filmmaker Abel Ferrara, magician penn Jillette (of Penn & Teller fame), and French high-wire artist Philippe Petit—famous for his daring tightrope walk between New York City’s twin towers—who was featured in the Oscar-winning documentary “Man On Wire.”
A two-time Oscar-nominated cinematographer known for works like “Evita” and “Bardo,” khodnji recently collaborated on Bong Joon-ho’s upcoming project titled “mickey 17” as well as Ari Aster’s latest film titled “Eddington,” featuring stars like Joaquin phoenix, Emma Stone, Pedro Pascal, and Austin Butler. He teased details about Aster’s new work—which reportedly centers around a small-town sheriff in New Mexico with ambitious aspirations—indicating it may soon debut at Cannes.
Khodnji described “Eddington” as being quiet distinct from Aster’s previous films such as “Hereditary,” “Midsommar,” or “Beau Is Afraid.” He noted its Western influences due to both its setting and characters but refrained from categorizing it strictly within that genre.