Timothée Chalamet attends NYFF alongside Josh Safdie: Inside opening reactions for the duo’s film ‘Marty Supreme’

Timothée Chalamet joined his director Josh Safdie at the 2025 New York Film Festival, where the duo attended a previously unannounced premiere for their forthcoming film, Marty Supreme.

The indie project was not shortlisted for screening at any of this year’s festivals, however, Variety has reported that A24 decided to give Marty Supreme “a surprise world premiere at Lincoln Center’s Alice Tully Hall.”

Nevertheless, the premiere was not confirmed until the audiences took their seats, as they were only informed about a “secret screening”.

Safdie joked with the crowd after taking the stage to introduce the feature, telling them, “I hate surprises too.”

“I finished it at 2 a.m. yesterday. You’re the first audience to see this film,” he further revealed.

First reactions

While the film’s official release is not planned until December 25, opening reactions and reviews for Marty Supreme have turned out to be everything that its team may have hoped to get out of an early screening, with its star performance earning distinguished praise.

Here are some of the critics sharing their thoughts online:

- David Ehrlich — IndieWire

- Anne Thompson — IndieWire

- Matt Neglia — Next Best Picture

- Perri Nemiroff — Collider

- David Canfield — The Hollywood Reporter

Plot

Marty Supreme is a sports drama about the unlikeliest of disciplines as its subject — table tennis.

Hardly a cinematic marvel, ping pong takes centre stage among the movie’s themes as Timothée Chalamet dons the vintage pants of Marty Mauser, “a disrespected table tennis player who overcomes the odds to achieve greatness” (The Hollywood Reporter).

Cast

The 1950s set film pairs Chalamet with Gwyneth Paltrow while additional cast includes Odessa A’zion, Kevin O’Leary, Tyler Okonma, Abel Ferrara, and Fran Drescher.

‘A24’s most expensive project’

It is crucial to highlight that Marty Supreme is A24’s biggest financial gamble yet — the movie cost a reported $70 million to produce, as the studio’s mainstream aspirations are gradually shaping up.

Also worth noting is the fact that this is Josh Safdie’s first solo project since his 2008 debut, The Pleasure of Being Robbed, and following his creative split from younger brother Benny Safdie.

Meanwhile, A24 is also behind the younger Safdie’s film starring Dwayne Johnson, The Smashing Machine.

The film which got off to a stellar start with critics following its Venice premiere, where it received a 15-minute long standing ovation, just opened at the box office to a disappointing sum of $6 million — Johnson’s career worst.