Marty Supreme official movie poster featuring Timothée Chalamet
Timothée Chalamet is stepping away from moody dramas and period romances — and straight into the fast-paced, surprisingly intense world of competitive ping-pong.
The Oscar-nominated actor takes center stage in Marty Supreme, a new sports drama from director Josh Safdie, with A24 dropping its teaser trailer ahead of the film’s Christmas Day release.
Alongside Chalamet, the cast features Gwyneth Paltrow, Odessa A’Zion, Kevin O’Leary, Tyler Okonma (a.k.a. Tyler, the Creator), Abel Ferrara, and Fran Drescher.
Chasing a Dream Nobody Believes In
In the film, Chalamet plays Marty Mauser — a young man chasing an unlikely dream with unstoppable determination. The twist? That dream is to turn ping-pong into the next big stadium sport.
The trailer shows Marty in an electrifying match, eyes locked, paddle in hand, ready to prove himself. In one scene, he tries to convince someone that table tennis deserves the spotlight.
“I know it’s hard to believe, but this game fills stadiums overseas,” he insists. “And it’s only a matter of time before I’m staring at you from the cover of a Wheaties box.”
A Starstruck Moment
The teaser also offers a playful exchange between Chalamet and Paltrow’s glamorous character. Marty, a little out of his depth, admits, “I’ve never talked to an actual movie star,” before adding with a grin, “You know, I’m something of a performer, too.”
It’s the kind of awkward charm that feels right at home in a Safdie film — part humor, part tension, and just a little unpredictable.
Safdie Returns to the Director’s Chair Solo in Years
Josh Safdie co-wrote the screenplay with longtime collaborator Ronald Bronstein and also serves as a producer alongside Chalamet, Bronstein, Eli Bush, and Anthony Katagas.
Marty Supreme marks Safdie’s first solo directorial feature since 2008’s The Pleasure of Being Robbed. His more recent hits — Good Time (2017) and Uncut Gems (2019) — were co-directed with his brother Benny Safdie, both also backed by A24.
Benny, meanwhile, has his own A24 project on the way — The Smashing Machine, starring Dwayne Johnson as MMA legend Mark Kerr, releasing October 3.
(L) Timothée Chalamet on the set of 'Marty Supreme', and the real Marty Reisman in 1948. GC Images/Getty Images
Chalamet Swaps a Guitar for a Paddle
This is Chalamet’s first film since last year’s A Complete Unknown, the Bob Dylan biopic that earned him an Oscar nomination. Trading in the quiet intensity of Dylan for the quick-fire tension of table tennis marks a sharp pivot in tone — and one that could show audiences a whole new side of the actor.
A Christmas Release With an Unlikely Sport
A24 is known for turning unconventional stories into cinematic gold, and Marty Supreme looks to follow that tradition. It’s not just about the speed of the rallies or the precision of the shots — it’s about ambition, resilience, and chasing a dream when no one else thinks it’s worth chasing.
With Chalamet at the paddle and Safdie steering the story, audiences can expect something fast, funny, and full of heart when Marty Supreme hits theaters on December 25.
