The Fall Guy Director And Stars On The Life-Changing Power Of Stunts And A Possible Sequel [Exclusive Interview]
The summer movie season kicks off in earnest with the release of "The Fall Guy" this weekend. Starring Ryan Gosling ("Barbie") and Emily Blunt ("Oppenheimer"), this movie has been garnering great buzz ever since it premiered at SXSW in Austin, Texas, back in March. /Film's own Jacob Hall gave the film a near-perfect 9 out of 10 review. It's part action movie, part rom-com, and Universal Pictures has been marketing the hell out of it.
The film centers on stuntman Colt Seavers (Gosling), who left the business a year ago. But he is called back to suit up once again when the star of a mega-budget blockbuster goes missing. To further complicate matters, the movie is being directed by the woman of his dreams, Jody Moreno (Blunt).
"The Fall Guy" was directed by David Leitch, known for his work on films like "Deadpool 2" and "Bullet Train," among others. I had the good fortune of speaking with Leitch, as well as Gosling, Blunt, and their co-stars Winston Duke and Stephanie Hsu in honor of the film's forthcoming theatrical release. We discussed everything from using this movie as an opportunity to highlight the work of stunt performers, Blunt's "Wolfman" movie, Duke's campaign to become the new Batman, how this franchise blockbuster was a personal film for Leitch, and much more.
Ryan Gosling and Emily Blunt want stunt performers to come out of the shadows
Thank you both again for taking the time. I was at the SXSW premiere, and it was one of the more energetic premieres I've ever been to. You guys are both coming off of the biggest movies of your respective careers. How does it feel rolling from "Barbie" and "Oppenheimer" into this, which is very different?
Gosling: Well, those were just really a marketing ploy for this. We only did those films so that we could do this, which is the real Barbenheimer, which was actually the working title of "Fall Guy."
Blunt: That's right. People don't realize that. We've been sleuthy about it, calling it "Fall Guy," but it's actually "Barbenheimer."
Good marketing tool.
Blunt: Yeah.
One of the things I really liked at the premiere, Ryan, you play a stuntman, of course. A lot of actors are always out there, "Oh, I did my own stunts. I do my own stunts." But you were very clear. "No, these stuntmen in this movie are ones that make this movie." How important was it for you taking on this movie to make sure those guys get their due?
Gosling: I mean, it's really an honor to be a part of a film that sort of shines a light on the stunt community, and also the crew. The first thing I ever did, really, was an action kids TV show, so I've had a stunt double my whole life. There's always been this strange dynamic where they kind of come in, they do all of the cool stuff, and they risk everything, then they leave. And everyone sort of pretends like they weren't there. The better they are, in a way, the more you know they're not there.
Blunt: Yeah.
Gosling: It just feels so wrong, because sometimes, they create the most memorable sequences in the whole film.
Blunt: And I mean, so many films that we grew up watching, some of the most memorable scenes from those films, whether it's Indiana Jones doing the drag behind the train, or, I watched "The Fugitive" recently, the jump off the waterfall. Stuff like that. They're usually big stunt, action moments that are so lasting for people, and that have changed people's lives. I think for so long, these stunt performers have been hiding in the shadows, and I'm not sure why that is. Because we're in a world where we're usually stripped of the mystique of that anyway. We've got to celebrate their colossal contribution to making movies, and they literally risk life and limb to give people that crackling sense of wonder when they're watching a film. It's beautiful for us to be a part of the love letter for them.
Ryan, if I could change the topic for just a second. There is a "Wolf Man" movie coming out for Blumhouse. My understanding is that you were going to star in that, but now you're just producing it. What happened there?
Blunt: [To Gosling] Why are you trying to sink my "Wolfman" with your "Wolf Man?"
Gosling: [Points at Blunt] This is the more interesting story. This is a very sensitive ... I wish you hadn't...
Blunt: Guys, my "Wolfman" was the "Wolfman." Okay? I don't know why you're trying to come in and rain on my "Wolfman" parade.
Gosling: Next question, please. Please Ryan, please.
Blunt: Move on. Move on. [laughs]
Winston Duke wants to start the campaign to be cast as Batman
Hey guys, how are you doing?
Duke: Ryan Scott, how you doing?
I'm so happy to be talking to you guys. Thank you so much for taking the time.
Duke: Absolutely, man.
So Stephanie, I'd like to start with you. I live in Austin, and I go to South by Southwest regularly. You've had quite the run: You had "Everything Everywhere All at Once." That rolled into "Joy Ride," and then that rolled into this. So what was it like showing up this year with your third incredibly well-received movie in a row?
Hsu: Yeah, it's really wild, actually, because before "Everything Everywhere," I had never been to Austin in my life. Now, I go there every year, but South By truly is one of my favorite film festivals. The audiences are amazing, and honestly, I just get so excited every single time to get to share something there. Because I know it's going to be so raucous, so much love. People just are not pretentious. They just love movies, and they're rooting for whatever they're going to see. That's the best way to ever get to share something for the first time. Also, then, Austin tacos — amazing.
Duke: It's a town that really supports the arts, and you can feel it. You can tell, even just finding the ability to find music in so many places, the amazing opportunity to find so many different performing arts. It's one of those places that's a really supportive community, and whenever you premiere anything there, you feel it. It's a really great barometer for how things are going to go, because it's a city filled with great regular people, who are honest.
So this is a very practical film. It's a love letter to the stunt performers of the world. And Winston, you are no stranger to stunts. So how did filming this, from a stunt perspective, compare to your work on, say, "Black Panther" or "Avengers?"
Duke: Well, this movie was about stunts, and it's very meta. It's like a film inside a film. So we really got to lean into what actually makes stunts so successful. Outside of it really just being about making the take and making the day, it's about getting everyone home safe, which means that it has to be really well-calculated. Everything's very well-measured. There's a lot of science and mathematics included in everything the stunt teams do. So it's a lot more cerebral than people realize. That was something that I didn't always get to see, because in other movies, it's like, "Get this part down, so that we can do this other part." And I'm in my story, so I'm in my story and I'm getting lost in my story and I'm like, "Cool, how's this going to go?" But this story is about making the story. So it was all folded in, and I really enjoyed that. I have a newfound added respect for the stunt community.
They're kicking me out of here, but Winston I did have one more quick question. I thought you were incredible as Batman on the [Batman: Unburied] podcast.
Duke: Oh, thanks, man.
James Gunn is looking for a new Batman for that "Brave and the Bold" movie. Would you have any thought of doing that in live-action?
Duke: Listen, man, can you start that? [Laughs] I would say I challenge you to get on all these socials and push for me. Get your community ... I would love to. I would love to do that as Batman. I'd love any opportunity to explore new characters, to change narratives around some of these entrenched ideas of how these characters are supposed to look, sound, and perform. I'm all for it.
The Fall Guy was a personal film for David Leitch
Hey David. How are you doing?
Good. Ryan, how are you?
Oh my God, I'm so good, man. Thank you so much for taking the time to speak with me today.
Of course, of course. Exciting.
I was at the South By screening, and man, I've been to a lot over the years. People were into it. It was really fun.
It was a rowdy crowd. I loved it.
It was. So, look, you're no stranger to big-budget franchise films at this point, but does this one feel a little bit more personal to you given that you have a background as a stuntman in this business?
Yeah, it was a lot more personal. I think there was an ability to — obviously all the anecdotes I had from 25 years-plus of being a stunt performer and living my entire adult life on movie sets, I got to sort of channel into this movie, and I think that's why it's a love letter, not only to stunts, but also to the crew that make the movie happen. It was fun to actually be able to talk from a point of experience to both of my leading actors. One is portraying a stuntman, and I have obviously depth and knowledge of that personal experience. Then one's playing a director, and now I've been doing that for a decade, I can speak from experience as well, and so it's really personal that way.
I don't want to spoil anything for audiences, but there are some crazy action sequences and great stunt work in this movie. Were there any sequences or stunts that you had to abandon, either for budgetary reasons or you just couldn't figure out a way to pull them off?
There wasn't. The studio was really supportive that we would approach this from a very practical stunt point of view. It was our mandate, [wife/producing partner] Kelly [McCormick] and I wanted to make sure if we're going to tell the story about a stuntman, we wanted to make sure the stunts were authentic, and so we dove into those old-school classic stunts that we had to do practically. Now that being said, our visual effects team did incredible work when it had to, but 99% of the stuff we're doing is practical in-camera stunts that, again, we set a world record for the number of canon rolls, Logan Holladay [did]. We just delivered next-level practical action that you don't see that much anymore.
Totally. So look, this is a franchise already. You're obviously adapting a TV show here. I know the movie hasn't even come out yet, but has the studio been like, "So, do you have any thoughts on doing another one here?" Or have you guys talked at all about what a follow-up would look like?
I think all of us loved the world so much and really had an incredible time making the movie. I think you can see the joy we're having as filmmakers — Ryan, Emily, Kelly, myself — collaborating in this way that, yeah, our fingers and toes are crossed. We could spend more time in this world with Jody and Colt. That would be amazing. But I don't want to jinx anything. I want people to come out and see it.
Totally. So they're about to kick me out of here, but on the sequel train, I do have to ask you real quick: At this point, you've got a couple of things that may or may not get sequels at some point. What is more likely: "Hobbs and Shaw 2" or "Atomic Blonde 2?"
Wow. I think they both have a really good shot. And by the way, I would love to go back to both those worlds. Really fun, great characters and cool collaborations with some great actors. So probably equal, I couldn't tell you which has a better shot. I know we're talking about both.
"The Fall Guy" hits theaters on May 3, 2024.