Director Timo Tjahjanto talks about making Nobody 2, from its R-rated Home Alone vibe to working with unexpected action star Bob Odenkirk.
Hutch Mansell returns in Nobody 2, which picks up after the events of the first film. This sequel promises to deliver even more of the over-the-top action that fans loved, all while delving deeper into the life of the seemingly ordinary man with a hidden past.
Mama’s Geeky sat down with the director of Nobody 2, Timo Tjahjanto, to talk about the sequel. Our conversation covered everything from the unique challenges of following up a beloved original to the fun of staging brutal fight scenes in the most unexpected of places—like a water park. We also discussed the surprising depth and heart woven into the explosive action, as well as Tjahjanto’s experience collaborating with the iconic Bob Odenkirk.
Timo Tjahjanto Talks Taking on the Sequel
Mama’s Geeky: What was it like coming in for the second one and what was it about, you know, this franchise that kind of interests you?
Timo Tjahjanto: I’m a huge fan of the first film as well. I always said Ilya Naishuller is one of those filmmakers who, you know, like his works always amaze me and intimidate me at the same time, you know. So when they approached me with a second film, I said look, I don’t want to do what he has done so well in the first film. And they say, well, what a coincidence, because here’s the script, read it, shut the hell up, and just tell us what you think about it. And the moment like when I read it, I was like, oh, first of all, summertime, Hawaiian shirts, water parks, amusement parks. OK, very different from the first one. And especially the element of family as part of what makes you keep on going on, what, you know, what the reason why Hutch exists and all that stuff. I love that stuff. I think the very first film is very Hutch-centric. And this film dwelt more into his dependency, even without him realizing it, his dependency on his family. And I said, like, all right, I think we can make a different movie with this script that is still respectful of the first film. So there you go.
A Home Alone for the R-Rated Crowd
Mama’s Geeky: I love the water park sequences. How fun was it to film that?
Timo Tjahjanto: Yeah, it’s fun because filming the water park and the amusement park is like making a Home Alone movie for the R-rated audience. I imagine Hutch Mansell as an aging Kevin from the first film. I’m kidding. It’s always fun because I remember that day when we go into a midway and into an arcade and into the water park and just finger pointing. All right. Like, this is how you’re going to die if you are riding that machine. Or this is what’s going to happen. Like, if you are sliding into a water slide and then you find, like, spikes at the end of it. So it’s like a child who is creating all sorts of ways to die horribly.
Mama’s Geeky: I’m going to second guess every time I go to a water park from now on.
Timo Tjahjanto: Hey, I’m always afraid of water parks. Trust me. You know, I’ve been there.
Working with Bob Odenkirk
Mama’s Geeky: What was it like coordinating all those stunts? Can you talk about your collaboration with the stunt coordinator?
Timo Tjahjanto: Oh yeah. I’m very fortunate because again, like I said before, like, this is my first film that I’m actually working with a second unit team. And obviously there’s a lot of trust that you have to give because it’s all about communicating with them. But again, the new experience will be me directing Bob somewhere in the house of Mirror while the stunt team, while the second unit team is directing Wyatt, you know, like killing a bunch of guys in a ball pit. So it’s always like me kind of like running back and forth. Like, all right, Bob, we’re done, right? Like, you’re going to kill these guys. And then the explosion happens. And then I quickly run into the other monitor. Hey, Greg, Greg Ramanter, by the way, which is a very talented action director. Like, he’s like, hey, Timo, check this out. Like, this is how the people are going to die. Like, they’re going to explode and all this stuff. All right, cool. So it’s really a lot of multitasking. And it’s very refreshing, so to speak, you know, to experience that.
Mama’s Geeky: I love Bob Odenkirk. I think he’s great. I remember the first one being like, I never pictured him as a full-on action star. I feel like you really dive into that, especially in the second one. Can you talk about working with him?
Timo Tjahjanto: You know what? I’m honestly, I’ll be scared shitless of the real Bob. You know, like I think Bob is like, you know, like the scariest guy is not the guy who’s so obviously scary. The scariest guy is actually the guy who you think is a goofball or the guy who you think is the joker in films like, you know, like in series like Breaking Bad or like Mr. Show and all that stuff. And then when you see him in real life, you realize like he is this MMA cut sinewy guy with all this hidden muscle under his shirt. And Bob is exactly that guy. You know, like it’s crazy just how tough he is in real life. Especially now that, you know, like he’s aging in a beautiful masculine way. You know, I could see like whenever something I sit there in the monitor and I was like, wow, there’s something so Clint Eastwood-y about him, you know, like the way he aged, just his face becoming more leathery than, you know, like all this, the stubbles, the unshaven thing like this, something really macho about him. As a filmmaker, I appreciate that. But above everything else, like I think one thing that’s always surprising to me is just how hardworking Bob is. Bob never stops working. Even as the camera says cut, like he’s going to be back there in his seat, you know, like writing the script and see how we can make it better. And just like, hey, Timo, what do you think if instead of doing this, he does that? You know, like, and also another thing is how open he is to different new ideas. The pinky gag is definitely something that I would never have thought he would agree on. But like he said, like, all right, Hutch Mansell loses a pinky. Let’s do it. All right. So there you go.
Finding the Heart of the Story
Mama’s Geeky: I love the connection with the family. I think so much of that I related to. What do you hope people take away from the family aspect?
Timo Tjahjanto: Yeah. I mean, that’s essentially what we want to make. I mean, I know we could never make like an epic, scopey thing, you know, like nobody was never known for it sort of like larger than life scale. Right. Like the first film feels very grounded. The second film less grounded, but like still like has that certain sort of intimate sort of like, you know, scaled down sort of feel about it. So I think the discussion has always been, yeah, we make this bigger. But most of all, we have to find what’s the heart of the film. Like we have to find what’s the complete journey for Hutch’s character. Like and then the journey I feel like is the idea that the revelation that Hutch thinking he’s a man of action, he’s a lone wolf, but like he never really is, you know, like unlike John Wick, he wasn’t Baba Yaga, you know, like he’s just a man who eats his toast and wears his pants one leg at a time. And he needs his family, even without you admitting it. I think, as a father of two girls, I think we always have the tendency to think our daughter really needs me. Like we are the backbone, like the provider. But like what we never, what we seldom think is actually without their existence, your life almost becomes a purposeless sort of journey. And that’s not for everybody. I think I’m specifically talking about the father and the husband. I think that’s the whole point. Hutch is not Hutch Mansell without his two kids and his wife, Becca, and that’s the heart of the film.
The Future of Nobody
Mama’s Geeky: I would love to see more, and I would love to see you in the director’s chair for this. Is this something you would come back and want to continue the franchise?
Timo Tjahjanto: Look, I think at the end of the day, I am just, I’m already grateful that like, you know, like Universal gave me a chance to direct this in 87 North. David Leitch and Kelly McCormick has been generous. But I’m not under the illusion that Ilya Naishuller creates a lot of what this film, what the franchise is all about. So let’s say, I think the fair answer will be like this. I’m more than eager if they are doing Nobody 3. But the only person that I will say, you know what, he’s the better director than me to direct it will be Ilya Naishuller. I don’t know. I think Ilya is such a great filmmaker. He doesn’t need a co-director.
Nobody 2 comes to theaters August 15.
