SXSW 2026 Normal red carpet interviews with Bob Odenkirk and Ben Wheatley. They talk gritty action, stunts, and the future of Nobody. [VIDEO]
I was thrilled to be on the SXSW 2026 red carpet for the premiere of Normal, a gritty neo-Western that reunites Bob Odenkirk with Nobody writer Derek Kolstad. Directed by Ben Wheatley, the film follows Ulysses (Odenkirk), a man looking for a quiet life as a substitute sheriff in the sleepy, snow-drenched town of Normal, Minnesota. However, his plan for a peaceful stint is shattered when a bank robbery uncovers a massive criminal conspiracy involving the Japanese Yakuza and billions of dollars in gold.
The carpet was buzzing as we spoke with the creative duo that brought this film to life. I had the chance to chat with director Ben Wheatley about his commitment to gritty, practical action. We also spent some quality time with Bob Odenkirk, who was clearly having a blast exploring this new, more mundane action hero while still delivering the bone-crunching choreography fans have come to expect.
Getting Personal with the Stunts
When I asked Bob Odenkirk about how much of his own stunt work he does, he noted his heavy involvement in the choreography from the very beginning.
“I’m very involved, like the kitchen fight here. I created a lot of the kitchen fight in normal,” Odenkirk told me. “I am the best fight and nobody. Yeah. I was a big part of the construction of the overall and some of the specific points of it.”
Will There Be A Nobody 3?
He also shared his thoughts on the longevity of these types of relatable characters, even hinting at the future of his other major action franchise when I asked about the odds of a third Nobody film.
“I think they’re pretty good. I love Nobody. I know people love it,” he shared. “I think that character lives on. The family dynamic is relatable. The degrees to which we find ourselves estranged from our wives and our kids. And that happens in the course of a long relationship and of a family and the structure and pressures of a family. So I think there’s more to discover there.”
Be sure to watch the full video for more of our interview with Bob Odenkirk and Ben Wheatley. Stick around for our continued coverage of the SXSW 2026 red carpets, including the horror sequel Ready or Not 2: Here I Come, the ballerina thriller Pretty Lethal, the musical comedy Power Ballad, and the twisted dark comedy Over Your Dead Body.
