by Alex Billington
May 5, 2026
Source: YouTube
“Anybody asks – I’m not a writer. I work in a kitchen.” A24 has revealed the first official trailer for Tony, directed by the brilliant Canadian filmmaker Matt Johnson (following Operation Avalanche, BlackBerry, and Nirvanna the Band the Show the Movie). This film is about the real life chef / author / TV personality Anthony Bourdain, best known as the enigmatic host of travelogue program “Anthony Bourdain: Parts Unknown” on CNN. Dominic Sessa (from The Holdovers) star as the young Tony. The film mostly takes places in 1976, when a young Bourdain had a life-changing experience working and living in Provincetown, MA –which became the basis of his book “Kitchen Confidential“. It follows Bourdain, the angsty aspiring writer, as he pursues a girl who eventually draws him into the culinary world. Starring Sessa and Emilia Jones as Nancy, along with Dagmara Domińczyk, Rich Sommer, Stavros Halkias, Leo Woodall, and featuring Antonio Banderas. I’ve gotta say – I think this looks really, really good! Johnson continues to improve as a filmmaker, and this looks like a fun & fascinating coming-of-age tale of a young food lover.
Here’s the first official trailer (+ poster) for Matt Johnson’s film Tony, direct from A24’s YouTube:
“I was – to be frank – a spoiled, miserable, narcissistic, self-destructive and thoughtless young lout, and badly in need of a good ass-kicking.” A 19-year-old Anthony Bourdain (starring Dominic Sessa) travels to Provincetown and stumbles into the chaotic world of a restaurant kitchen, setting off a summer that will shape the course of his life. Tony is directed by illustrious Canadian comedian / actor / writer / filmmaker Matt Johnson, director of the movies The Dirties, Operation Avalanche, BlackBerry, and Nirvanna the Band the Show the Movie previously, plus other shorts and TV. The screenplay is written by Matt Johnson, Matthew Miller, Todd Bartels, Lou Howe. Based on the life of the late Anthony Bourdain and his book “Kitchen Confidential“. Produced by Tim White, Trevor White, Matt Johnson, Matthew Miller. A24 debuts Matt Johnson’s Tony film in US theaters starting August 2026 this summer. Who’s looking forward to it?
