It’s been 10 years since Gore Verbinski last released a film. Now, he is back with Good Luck, Have Fun, Don’t Die, which comes with a stacked cast and now a new image of lead Sam Rockwell. In addition to that, we have the first reactions straight out of Fantastic Fest, where the film screened on Wednesday.
Check out the initial thoughts on Good Luck, Have Fun, Don’t Die below:
The fourth and final secret screening of Fantastic Fest did not disappoint. Gore Verbinski’s first film in 9 years GOOD LUCK HAVE FUN DON’T DIE is a truly original and bizarre trip that scathingly and hilariously critiques the future we’re heading toward. Boldly and creatively… pic.twitter.com/tfOsmnBCHX
— The HoloFiles @ Fantastic Fest 2025 (@theholofiles) September 25, 2025sponsored content
GOOD LUCK HAVE FUN DON’T DIE is wild, zany, hilarious—and a stark warning for our future. Imagine Gore Verbinski tackling Terminator with a satirical lens on how we escape into tech instead of facing reality. Easily my favorite of Fantastic Fest and a film the world needs to see… pic.twitter.com/aeWPeJvtj9
— Accordingtoseth 🔜 Fantastic Fest (@according2seth) September 25, 2025
As it seems, Gore Verbinski really has his pulse on society with Good Luck, Have Fun, Don’t Die. And considering AI has been one of the hot-button issues in the world – and in Hollywood – this does feel like the type of film that can do remarkably well if it finds the right audience.
Here is the official plot synopsis of Good Luck, Have Fun, Don’t Die, as per Briarcliff Entertainment, who will be distributing the film after it was announced as filming last year: “This action/comedy follows a man who claims to be from the future (Sam Rockwell) who takes the patrons of an iconic Los Angeles diner hostage in search of unlikely recruits in a quest to save the world.” In addition to Rockell, the cast also featured Haley Lu Richardson (The Edge of Seventeen, The White Lotus), Michael Peña (Narcos: Mexico, Jack Ryan), Zazie Beetz (Joker, The Bad Guys), and Juno Temple (Ted Lasso, Venom: The Last Dance). It is written by Matthew Robinson, who co-wrote The Invention of Lying with Ricky Gervais and Love and Monsters with Brian Duffield.
On being drawn to Good Luck, Have Fun, Don’t Die, Briarcliff Entertainment’s CEO stated, “This film is wildly original, endlessly entertaining, and unlike anything audiences have seen before. After seeing it, we immediately knew Briarcliff was the perfect partner to distribute Gore Verbinski’s first independent, bonkers movie. We couldn’t be more excited to share his vision with audiences across the country.”
Whatever comes of the wide reception of Good Luck, Have Fun, Don’t Die when it hits theaters on January 30th, 2026, it’s good to see Verbinski back behind the camera for the first time since A Cure for Wellness. Well removed from the Pirates of the Caribbean franchise at this point, it’s also great to see he found a project that could get him directing features once again.
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