"It’s been my Bris." "Every studio passed on the movie." This is how director Gore Verbinski started off the Q & A after his film Good Luck, Have Fun, Don't Die screened over the weekend. He isn't out of it when it comes to how Hollywood works now and how hard it is to get a movie made. See, where I thought I'd hear from the director of the 1st Pirates of the Caribbean film as some sort of sanctimonious, European (Gore was actually born in Tennessee) higher-than-thou guy, I was pleasantly surprised to how down to Earth he was.
It was a packed audience at the Palm Springs International Film Festival 2026 screening. Those lucky enough to get in on stand-by got a chance to hear Gore's thoughts on making his first independent film, which apparently made him seek funding for two years and "Dance around for some possible Italian investors, " as he put it. As far and as big as his success, it still isn't enough to get something made right away. But, in the end, Gore said he liked to stay independent for his next film.
His current film, out this Feb, is a sci-fi premise of a man from the future, played by Sam Rockwell, who goes back in time to well, now at a Norm's in LA, of all places. He recruits others from this Norm's diner to help him take down, put the safety brakes on A.I. before it can ruin the world. From said Norm's we get a great cast of actors like Juno Temple and Haley Lu Richardson helping him with his cause (and possibly brutally dying). We also learn why they want to help, with flashbacks taking up a big chunk of the runtime. Good Luck, Have Fun, Don't Die takes punches at our current state of the world and how we use technology and hits every mark. No better jokes can be found at how school is treated in this film. I don't want to give away any of the jokes, but yeah it's dark. It's dark, but so damn good at how we treat problems that happens at our schools and just teenagers now.
Sam Rockwell also steals the show with a master class on literally chewing the scenery as he is sneaking food in almost every second he's on frame. Someone needs to make al list of everything he gulps down. But, for real, his opening monologue explaining the time loop and knowing everyone in the diner and what they'll do and who they are could have bored, but it's just a fun rant you get overtaken in. You'll want to go with him to stop A.I. from ruining the future too. Or at least think he shouldn't be gunned down by the LAPD,
We get some premises that if you're a sci-fi watcher, you're gonna figure out ahead of time. Some things, your not gonna see coming though. I don't think a studio would have greenlit certain uggh, shots? What is here is a send up on our times and our current fears of tech, A.I, and how we treat each other crafted by a director who knows how to make a film.
A new idea, a crazy new idea instead of the same cape movie or franchise is welcome. And, hearing from Gore after his film, it looks like that's what the studios are mainly after now. Some best of luck too him.
Any time a festival let's you talk to the director and ask some questions makes the experience all the better and that's why it's always great to see something at the Palm Springs International Film Festival with a director, actors, or crew in tow. And, seeing Gore Verbinski in person totally changed my opinion of him. Just a guy wanting to make his movies.
Now, I'm a little sad that the Bioshock movie rumored to come from him never came out, but you have a chance to see some of his work in Feb.