Featured Session: Bob Odenkirk: Entering His Action Hero Phase and the State of Action Films with the team behind NORMAL
Summary
Bob Odenkirk has defied expectations before — but with NORMAL, he steps fully into his action hero era. In this can’t miss SXSW session, Odenkirk joins the team behind this kinetic neo-Western to explore his evolution from acclaimed character actor to undeniable action lead. NORMAL director Ben Wheatley, writer and JOHN WICK creator Derek Kolstad, producer Marc Provissiero (NOBODY) and Odenkirk will discuss the physical and creative demands of action films, why audiences are increasingly drawn to flawed, grounded protagonists over invincible superheroes, and how modern action films can deliver big screen visceral thrills and emotional resonance. This conversation offers an inside look at how NORMAL fits into the evolving landscape of action filmmaking — and why Odenkirk’s next chapter may be his most explosive yet.
- Format: Featured Session
- Category: Featured Session
- Event Type: panel
- Presented By: n/a
Contributors
- Perri Nemiroff
- Marc Provissiero
- Derek Kolstad
- Ben Wheatley
- Bob Odenkirk
Raw Event JSON
Large nested arrays are compacted for page readability. Full payload remains in dataset files.
Open JSON payload
{
"id": "PP1150811",
"track": "Film & TV",
"focus_area": null,
"category": "Featured Session",
"event_id": "PP1150811",
"event_type": "panel",
"format": "Featured Session",
"genre": null,
"subgenre": null,
"name": "Featured Session: Bob Odenkirk: Entering His Action Hero Phase and the State of Action Films with the team behind NORMAL",
"presented_by": null,
"publish_at": "2026-03-04T12:50:00.000-06:00",
"reservable": true,
"reservable_id": "PP1150811",
"reserved": false,
"date": "2026-03-15",
"end_time": "2026-03-15T11:00:00.000-05:00",
"start_time": "2026-03-15T10:00:00.000-05:00",
"message": null,
"image": null,
"credentials": [
{
"name": "Music Badge",
"type": "music"
},
{
"name": "Platinum Badge",
"type": "platinum"
},
{
"name": "Innovation Badge",
"type": "innovation"
},
{
"name": "Film & TV Badge",
"type": "filmtv"
}
],
"contributors": [
{
"id": 43157,
"company": "Collider",
"credential_types": [
"filmtv",
"innovation",
"music"
],
"entity_id": 2091919,
"name": "Perri Nemiroff",
"speaker_types": [
"Speaker"
],
"title": "Senior Producer and Host",
"image": {
"alt_text": "Perri Nemiroff",
"credit": null,
"url": "https://images.sxsw.com/LNn8CtsHwOj655A0oq7hpFKIIS8=/0x0:4128x4128/600x600/images.sxsw.com/48/6ae857be-441a-40d4-9fb4-b6f301079ca4/pcid-615270"
},
"speaker_type": "Speaker",
"details": "Perri Nemiroff is the senior producer at Collider where she hosts and produces the interview series, Collider Ladies Night, a show geared towards highlighting the need-to-know female voices in film and television. In addition to her work at Collider, Perri also conducts interviews for Rotten Tomatoes, hosts Fandango Big Ticket interviews, and can be seen on the big screen in NCM's Noovie Pre-Show hosting the Close-up with Perri Nemiroff segment. On top of that, Perri frequently moderates post-screening Q&As and panels at film festivals and conventions including San Diego Comic-Con and New York Comic Con.",
"links": {},
"type": "person"
},
{
"id": 101202,
"company": "OPE Partners",
"credential_types": [
"filmtv",
"innovation",
"music"
],
"entity_id": 2267392,
"name": "Marc Provissiero",
"speaker_types": [
"Speaker"
],
"title": "Producer",
"image": {
"alt_text": "Marc Provissiero",
"credit": "",
"url": "https://images.sxsw.com/QcJOZznyQKSccYrYgZn-MjbkGEM=/0x35:500x535/600x600/images.sxsw.com/48/f6c3a9ac-61c3-408f-b248-ee8d8174af35/pcid-1637896"
},
"speaker_type": "Speaker",
"details": "Marc Provissiero is the Co-Founder of OPE Partners, a production/management company, where he specializes in working with filmmakers, series creators, and actors. Prior to this, he was a literary agent for ten years, including several at William Morris Agency.\r\rHe developed and produced the action thriller NOBODY for Universal Pictures. The film was the number one movie at the box office on its opening weekend, and heralded as one of the best action films of 2021. The sequel, NOBODY 2, premiered worldwide on August 15, which he also produced.\r\rMarc also produced the Sony Pictures' comedy, NO HARD FEELINGS, starring Jennifer Lawrence from filmmaker Gene Stupnitsky, which was the number one theatrical comedy of 2023.\r\rIn television, Marc is an Emmy-nominated Executive Producer of the critically acclaimed Hulu show, PEN15, for which he won the Gotham Independent Film Award.\r\rNORMAL, written by Derek Kolstad, directed by Ben Wheatley, and starring Bob Odenkirk premiered worldwide last fall at TIFF, for which Provissiero serves as the lead Producer.",
"links": {},
"type": "person"
},
{
"id": 101201,
"company": "Story Kitchen",
"credential_types": [
"filmtv",
"innovation",
"music"
],
"entity_id": 2267391,
"name": "Derek Kolstad",
"speaker_types": [
"Speaker"
],
"title": "Writer",
"image": {
"alt_text": "Derek Kolstad",
"credit": "",
"url": "https://images.sxsw.com/vFNoLE4LUjg0XREtkN9JXfr8Z9c=/78x0:233x155/600x600/images.sxsw.com/48/7d14711c-a335-4f57-9340-2e9957ba041c/pcid-1636615"
},
"speaker_type": "Speaker",
"details": "Derek Kolstad is the writer/creator of the JOHN WICK franchise. In the past few years, he has adapted THE MAN FROM NOWHERE for New Line and SPLINTER CELL for Netflix, created NOBODY for Universal and DIE HART for Quibi/Roku, Co-EP’d Marvel/Disney+’s limited series THE FALCON AND THE WINTER SOLDIER, and produced THE PRINCESS for 20th/Hulu and THE CONTINENTAL for Lionsgate/Peacock. In addition to another Bob Odenkirk-starring actioner, NORMAL he currently has active development at Lionsgate, Netflix, Amazon, Sony, Paramount, AGBO, Apple, Infrared, 20th, and CBS.",
"links": {},
"type": "person"
},
{
"id": 101126,
"company": "Moxie Pictures",
"credential_types": [
"filmtv",
"innovation",
"music"
],
"entity_id": 2267243,
"name": "Ben Wheatley",
"speaker_types": [
"Speaker"
],
"title": "Filmmaker",
"image": {
"alt_text": "Ben Wheatley",
"credit": "",
"url": "https://images.sxsw.com/i82--EAHQuMPXdORhAFtVhnwuHM=/74x93:952x971/600x600/images.sxsw.com/48/a6f0769e-0719-43dc-a3fb-963310e5db07/pcid-1637862"
},
"speaker_type": "Speaker",
"details": "Ben Wheatley is a bold British writer-director known for his genre-bending work in horror, crime, action-adventure and dark comedy. With films like KILL LIST, SIGHTSEERS, and A FIELD IN ENGLAND, he has blended visceral tension with sharp wit, earning a reputation for fearless storytelling and a distinct, uncompromising cinematic voice. Most recently Ben served as director on MEG 2: THE TRENCH FOR\rWARNER BROTHERS, following it up with the indie feature NORMAL starring Bob Odenkirk which premiered at the 2025 Toronto International Film Festival.",
"links": {},
"type": "person"
},
{
"id": 101053,
"company": "OPE Partners",
"credential_types": [
"filmtv",
"innovation",
"music"
],
"entity_id": 2267100,
"name": "Bob Odenkirk",
"speaker_types": [
"Speaker"
],
"title": "Actor",
"image": {
"alt_text": "Bob Odenkirk",
"credit": "",
"url": "https://images.sxsw.com/Xq-WYmyU8oIralj282A2B8A3MVY=/189x13:4837x4661/600x600/images.sxsw.com/48/2920d413-4d6b-4182-8a13-3ed5277eebf4/pcid-1651649"
},
"speaker_type": "Speaker",
"details": "Bob Odenkirk is an Emmy Award-winning and Tony Award-nominated writer, producer, actor, and New York Times bestselling author. In 2015, Bob Odenkirk reprised the character he originated on the hit drama BREAKING BAD, playing the title role in AMC's BETTER CALL SAUL, which earned him a Critics Choice TV Award, six Emmy nominations, as well as Golden Globe, and SAG Award nominations. \r\rOdenkirk began his stage career in Chicago in 1984, doing sketch and improv shows all around town. produced and starred in the play LINE by Israel Horowitz, the first production of Chicago's PROP theatre. His early years onstage consisted mainly of sketch shows, many of which he was a primary writer. After being hired as a staff writer at SATURDAY NIGHT LIVE in 1997, every summer was spent onstage, first\rwith his friends, Robert Smigel and Conan O'Brien in HAPPY HAPPY GOOD SHOW, then in his well reviewed one man show, SHOW-ACTING-GUY and a Second City mainstage revue FLAG SMOKING PERMITTED IN LOBBY ONLY which featured the first appearance of Chris Farley as \"Matt Foley, the Motivational Speaker,\" penned by Odenkirk.\r\rIn 1991 Bob moved to Los Angeles and soon pulled in his second writing Emmy for THE BEN STILLER SHOW, but his greatest writing achievement was to come. MR. SHOW WITH BOB AND DAVID on HBO from 1995-1998, was his personal valhalla, a place where Bob's brain was on full display (married with the hilarious brain of his life-long friend, David Cross). The show became and remains a \"cult hit\", dubbed \"The American Monty Python\" by David Wild in Rolling Stone Magazine, \"Mr. Show\" inspired legions of comedy actors and writers.\r\rBob performed in countless \"Mr. Show\" pieces, but his journey as an actor got a powerful boost upon being cast as \"Saul Goodman\" in BREAKING BAD, season 2. Over the next four years on that show, followed by six in the beautifully scripted and complex BETTER CALL SAUL, Bob's crash course in drama acting expanded and deepened. This experience led to roles in Steven Spielberg's THE POST, Greta Gerwig's LITTLE WOMEN, and Alexander Payne's NEBRASKA.\r\rIn a surprising move, Odenkirk then starred in the action film NOBODY (Universal), which achieved a #1 debut at the US box office in 2021, and which opened up yet another avenue of performance for him. Bob starred in the sequel: NOBODY 2, and will next be seen in suspense-action film NORMAL, also scripted by Derek Kolstad, the creator of NOBODY and the JOHN WICK franchise.\r\rBob recently returned to the stage in the revival of his favorite play, David Mamet's GLENGARRY GLEN ROSS, in which his performance as Shelley Levene earned him a Tony nomination.",
"links": {},
"type": "person"
}
],
"venue": {
"accessible": false,
"age_policy": null,
"floor": null,
"id": "V2026",
"indoor_outdoor": null,
"mixhalo_url": "https://translate.mixhalo.rocks/?venue_id=430&partner=true",
"name": "Salon 6-8",
"parent_id": "V0403",
"parent_venue_name": "JW Marriott",
"venue_entry_info": null,
"formats": null,
"location": {
"address": "110 E 2nd St.",
"lat_lon": [
30.2645713,
-97.743198
],
"city": "Austin",
"postal_code": "78701",
"state": "TX",
"name": "JW Marriott"
},
"root": {
"id": "V0403",
"name": "JW Marriott",
"mixhalo_url": null
},
"events": "[omitted 5 venue events]"
},
"description": "Bob Odenkirk has defied expectations before — but with NORMAL, he steps fully into his action hero era. In this can’t miss SXSW session, Odenkirk joins the team behind this kinetic neo-Western to explore his evolution from acclaimed character actor to undeniable action lead.\n\nNORMAL director Ben Wheatley, writer and JOHN WICK creator Derek Kolstad, producer Marc Provissiero (NOBODY) and Odenkirk will discuss the physical and creative demands of action films, why audiences are increasingly drawn to flawed, grounded protagonists over invincible superheroes, and how modern action films can deliver big screen visceral thrills and emotional resonance. This conversation offers an inside look at how NORMAL fits into the evolving landscape of action filmmaking — and why Odenkirk’s next chapter may be his most explosive yet.",
"experience_level": "Beginner",
"audio_url": null,
"accessibility": [],
"accessible_venue": false,
"add_bcl_url": false,
"add_slido": true,
"after_midnight": null,
"age_policy": null,
"american_sign_language": false,
"apple_url": null,
"audio_description": false,
"caption_url": null,
"captioned_qa": false,
"closed_captioned": false,
"cpe_credit": false,
"event_status": "none",
"has_subtitles": false,
"hash_tags": [],
"high_sensory_experience": false,
"live": false,
"long_description": "Bob Odenkirk has defied expectations before — but with NORMAL, he steps fully into his action hero era. In this can’t miss SXSW session, Odenkirk joins the team behind this kinetic neo-Western to explore his evolution from acclaimed character actor to undeniable action lead.\n\nNORMAL director Ben Wheatley, writer and JOHN WICK creator Derek Kolstad, producer Marc Provissiero (NOBODY) and Odenkirk will discuss the physical and creative demands of action films, why audiences are increasingly drawn to flawed, grounded protagonists over invincible superheroes, and how modern action films can deliver big screen visceral thrills and emotional resonance. This conversation offers an inside look at how NORMAL fits into the evolving landscape of action filmmaking — and why Odenkirk’s next chapter may be his most explosive yet.",
"meeting_url": null,
"meeting_url_live": false,
"mentorly_url": null,
"mobile_audio_url": null,
"open_captioned": false,
"playlist_tag": null,
"rebroadcast": false,
"recommended_ids": [],
"search_conversions": null,
"short_program": false,
"slido_url": "https://app.sli.do/event/oNretNNf2tTJiYRERppx3q",
"sort": "FEATURED SESSION: BOB ODENKIRK: ENTERING HIS ACTION HERO PHASE AND THE STATE OF ACTION FILMS WITH THE TEAM BEHIND NORMAL",
"source": "Official",
"squad_up_url": null,
"stream_embed": null,
"stream_id": null,
"stream_url": null,
"strobe_warning": false,
"subdiscipline": null,
"summit": null,
"summit_display_name": null,
"tags": [
{
"id": 2576,
"name": "Recently Added",
"created_at": "2026-02-26T12:08:59.538-06:00",
"updated_at": "2026-02-26T12:08:59.538-06:00",
"sort": "RECENTLY ADDED",
"alpha": "R"
}
],
"talent_attending": null,
"title_only": false,
"track_display_name": "Film & TV track sponsored by Crunchyroll",
"trailer_id": null,
"trailer_url": null,
"video_on_demand": null,
"vimeo_id": null,
"vod": false,
"xr_project_type": null,
"youtube_id": null,
"related_events": [
{
"id": "FS19420",
"event_id": "FS19420",
"type": "event",
"name": "Normal (on 35mm)",
"publish_at": "2026-02-04T14:00:00-06:00",
"date": "2026-03-15",
"start_time": "2026-03-15T17:45:00-05:00",
"end_time": "2026-03-15T19:15:00-05:00",
"category": "Narrative Feature",
"event_type": "screening",
"genre": "Action\rThriller",
"venue": {
"id": "V0210",
"name": "Paramount Theatre"
},
"image_url": "https://images.sxsw.com/NFVakciqBGnlgLKMBAHqye3Vkfc=/950x633/images.sxsw.com/183/032ea0d2-af73-4c52-be3b-1ecf80cc3785/normal-359272",
"thumbnail_url": "https://images.sxsw.com/q-H1l3V5A5vfg0-6Xcx24UHHn-8=/950x950/images.sxsw.com/197/cfd90222-1bbc-b473-234c-8dff1db1daa0/normal-359272",
"credentials": [
{
"name": "Platinum Badge",
"type": "platinum"
},
{
"name": "Film & TV Badge",
"type": "filmtv"
}
]
},
{
"id": "FS19421",
"event_id": "FS19421",
"type": "event",
"name": "Normal (on 35mm)",
"publish_at": "2026-02-04T14:00:00-06:00",
"date": "2026-03-18",
"start_time": "2026-03-18T18:30:00-05:00",
"end_time": "2026-03-18T20:00:00-05:00",
"category": "Narrative Feature",
"event_type": "screening",
"genre": "Action\rThriller",
"venue": {
"id": "V0605",
"name": "Alamo Lamar 4"
},
"image_url": "https://images.sxsw.com/NFVakciqBGnlgLKMBAHqye3Vkfc=/950x633/images.sxsw.com/183/032ea0d2-af73-4c52-be3b-1ecf80cc3785/normal-359272",
"thumbnail_url": "https://images.sxsw.com/q-H1l3V5A5vfg0-6Xcx24UHHn-8=/950x950/images.sxsw.com/197/cfd90222-1bbc-b473-234c-8dff1db1daa0/normal-359272",
"credentials": [
{
"name": "Platinum Badge",
"type": "platinum"
},
{
"name": "Film & TV Badge",
"type": "filmtv"
}
]
}
],
"related_sales_client": null
}