Who had Benny Safdie striking out on his own, becoming a character actor, creating a hit TV show, and setting up an A24 biopic with Dwayne Johnson on their 2023 Hollywood bingo card? No one? Yeah, it’s a massive pivot for one of the Safdie Brothers, best known for their gritty, frenetic NYC-set dramas. But thanks to turns in “Are You There, God? It’s Me, Margaret” and “Oppenheimer” and the runaway success of “the Curse” on Showtime, Safdie is one to watch in 2024 and beyond. So what does he have up his sleeve next?
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In a new feature for Variety, Safdie didn’t have anything new to say about “The Smashing Machine,” his film about MMA champ Mark Kerr with Johnson. But he did hint that more of “The Curse” may be coming, just not any time soon. “There’s a lot more fun to be had in this world,” said Safdie. “It’s not off the table. There are ideas, but it’s definitely too premature to put them out into the world.” So don’t count out a second season of the late 2023 hit, but it’s by no means a guarantee. “The Curse,” which stars Nathan Fielder and Emma Stone, wraps its first season on January 12.
And Safdie has other TV projects in his personal pipeline, too. The multi-hyphenate told Variety that he has a six-episode scripted series about boxing ready for HBO, but it hasn’t been officially announced yet. And Safdie also hinted at another project he’s written and plans to direct, but he stayed secretive about it. But it’s safe to say that Safdie likes the TV format.
That’s a good thing, because Benny won’t be involved with Josh Safdie‘s upcoming Netflix project with Adam Sandler. Benny confirmed as much last year but also stressed that he and his brother aren’t at odds, and their production banner Elara Picture is still going strong. But with Benny focusing on acting and other projects right now, who knows when the brother will reunite to co-direct another film? It’s now four years since the delirious “Uncut Gems,” and that period feels even longer due to the COVID-19 pandemic and last year’s guild strikes, among other things.
Stay tuned to learn exactly what Benny Safdie has in the pipeline for his next project. Will it be “The Smashing Machine” or one of his TV projects? Or maybe Safdie will surprise us with another excellent supporting role; if he’s doing anything right now, it’s keeping audiences guessing.