Matt Johnson says he “didn’t understand” the Anthony Bourdain hype when he signed on for A24’s “Tony”

A24’s upcoming film “Tony,” about the early life of Anthony Bourdain, has added director Matt Johnson, according to The Hollywood Reporter. Johnson, best known for directing “BlackBerry” and “Nirvana the Brand the Show the Movie,” said he did not initially grasp the level of cultural attention around Bourdain before agreeing to the project.

The Hollywood Reporter reports that “Tony” is centered on Bourdain’s formative years and the path that led to his later public career built around travel, conversation, and food. The film is described as revisiting the period before Bourdain’s wider fame, as production moves forward under A24’s banner.

In the same report, the outlet said chef Eric Ripert is expected to appear in the movie. Ripert, a well-known figure in the food world who has worked with Bourdain in the span of Bourdain’s public life, is referenced in connection with the film’s casting as a cameo-level appearance.

Johnson’s comments, as reported by The Hollywood Reporter, frame the project as one that grew in significance as he learned more about Bourdain’s place in popular culture. The outlet’s coverage emphasizes that Johnson had signed onto the story without fully understanding how widely the subject resonated with audiences.

A24 and the film’s creative team have not been detailed in the provided reporting beyond the director attachment and the fact that the project is being developed as “Tony.” The Hollywood Reporter story does not establish release timing in the information available for this draft, and additional production details may follow as filming dates and distribution plans are finalized.

The project’s premise also raises a routine production question for audiences and industry watchers, namely how a biographical focus on early life will shape the story structure that typically follows a public figure’s rise. With casting information limited to the reported Ripert cameo and the lead attachment to Johnson, additional cast announcements and script updates would be the next concrete steps for confirming how the film will connect Bourdain’s early background to his later media persona.

Because the film is in development, the next milestones likely include formal confirmation of the screenwriter team, principal cast, and the start of production. Until those items are publicly announced, details beyond the director attachment, the A24 association, the film title, and the reported cameo remain subject to change.