In an era dominated by superhero sagas, studios remain daring, placing their bets on directors whose visions promise to stand out amidst the cookie-cutter blockbusters that fill our multiplexes. Hence, Sony Pictures deserves commendation for championing not merely one, but two bold, risky endeavors: Darren Aronofsky's "Caught Stealing" and Kogonada's "A Big Bold Beautiful Journey."
"Caught Stealing," a crime thriller, delves into the gritty underbelly of 1990s New York City through the eyes of a former baseball player, Austin Butler, ensnared in a web of criminal intrigue. Conversely, "A Big Bold Beautiful Journey" is a romantic fantasy that whisks two middle-aged souls, Farrell and Robbie, through a magical portal to revisit their past lives. Sony unveiled the mystery surrounding these two masterpieces, delivering a cinematic surprise to theater owners with the world premiere at the grand CinemaCon event on Monday night.
For Aronofsky, renowned for his harrowing tales of anguish and despair ("Mother!," "Requiem for a Dream," "The Whale"), "Caught Stealing" offers a rare opportunity to showcase a different side of his directorial prowess. "I yearned to create something purely enjoyable, something fun," Aronofsky admitted, acknowledging the unexpectedness of his choice. He chose to revisit the pre-9/11 New York, a time when life felt vibrantly alive and full of possibilities. "It was a golden era to be young and vibrant," he reminisced.
Yet, Butler's journey in the trailer seems anything but leisurely. While cat-sitting for his mohawk-adorned friend Matt Smith, he finds himself on a relentless chase, dodging Russian gangsters, Orthodox Jewish businessmen, and an assortment of angry New Yorkers across the five boroughs. Amidst this chaos, he still finds moments to romance his girlfriend Zoë Kravitz in the hallway of his apartment building and tend bar at a local dive.
The ensemble cast of "Caught Stealing" also boasts the talents of Regina King, Vincent D’Onofrio, and Bad Bunny.
Kogonada, on the other hand, vowed that "A Big Bold Beautiful Journey" would be "a unique, astonishing, romantic, and hopefully, heart-wrenching experience." The whimsical footage Sony unveiled depicts Farrell coming to Robbie's aid when her car breaks down, with his car's navigation system serendipitously guiding him to her. They stumble upon a magical doorway in the forest, leading them to a lighthouse sunset and the corridors of Farrell's high school. "No matter how this unfolds, it will end with me hurting you," Robbie warns. "What if I hurt you?" Farrell responds.
Kogonada emphasized that "A Big Bold Beautiful Journey" hinges heavily on the star power of its lead actors, praising Farrell and Robbie as "two stars at the pinnacle of their craft."
Scheduled for release, "Caught Stealing" will hit theaters on August 29, 2025, while "A Big Bold Beautiful Journey" will premiere on September 19, 2025.
Sony's presentation also shone a spotlight on its burgeoning franchises, including "Spider-Man 4," where Tom Holland returns as the friendly neighborhood Spider-Man, as well as reboots of its "Karate Kid" and "I Know What You Did Last Summer" franchises.
