On Monday, October 6, 2025, the New York Film Festival was thrown into a frenzy as Josh Safdie’s much-anticipated new film, Marty Supreme, made its debut in a surprise screening at Lincoln Center’s Alice Tully Hall. The event, which had all the suspense and excitement of a championship game, drew a crowd of film critics, cinema buffs, and celebrities eager for a glimpse of what was rumored to be a game-changing film. Among the star-studded audience were Myha’la from HBO’s Industry, Christopher Abbott of Poor Things, director Ari Aster, and SNL’s Sarah Sherman, according to The Washington Post.
The film stars Timothée Chalamet as Marty Mauser, a real-life table tennis prodigy who dominated the U.S. championships in the late 1950s. But make no mistake—this isn’t just a sports biopic. As IndieWire and other outlets reported, Marty Supreme is a wild, high-speed ride through obsession, glory, and personal unraveling. One critic at the festival was overheard saying, “This isn’t just a ping pong movie. It’s a full-blown fever dream.” Early reactions from the festival were effusive, with many calling the film “exhilarating,” “manic,” and “nerve-shredding.”
Chalamet’s performance, in particular, has become the talk of the town. Several critics drew comparisons to Leonardo DiCaprio’s breakout role in The Wolf of Wall Street, and the phrase “career-defining” was used more than once. As Rodrigo Perez of The Playlist put it, the film is “peak grifter-core cinema,” a label that seems destined for the film’s marketing campaign. There’s already strong awards buzz, with some festival-goers claiming Chalamet is a lock for a Best Actor nomination.
Chalamet himself attended the screening, joined by co-stars Gwyneth Paltrow, Tyler the Creator, and Odessa A’zion. With a huge grin, he reminded the crowd that he went to high school just down the street, and, in a moment that delighted fans, exclaimed, “This is f***ing awesome.” The excitement in the room was palpable, and the energy spilled out onto social media, where comparisons to Steven Spielberg’s Catch Me If You Can and Martin Scorsese’s The Wolf of Wall Street began trending almost immediately. According to The Playlist, the general consensus was that Chalamet has reached new heights of superstardom.
But the buzz wasn’t just about the film. On October 7, 2025, Chalamet debuted a striking new buzzcut hairstyle in a promotional video shared on his Instagram Live, just ahead of the film’s premiere. For the past year, the 29-year-old actor had sported a mid-length, “old money” haircut—a style that, according to WWD, saw a 122 percent increase in Google searches over the past year, with 5,000 queries in June 2025 alone. The sudden shift to a buzzcut had fans speculating after Chalamet was seen wearing a baseball cap at the festival, with the sides of his head noticeably bare. The mystery was put to rest when he emerged from a vat of orange ping pong balls, hoodie-clad, in a video that was as quirky as it was eye-catching.
In the Instagram Live video, Chalamet—donning a navy blue Marty Supreme hoodie and surrounded by orange ping pong balls—teased fans with a cryptic message: “Live in 10 mins.” The video, set to a heavy metal soundtrack, featured a surreal scene of men in matching hoodies and orange bowling balls on their heads, playing table tennis on grass. Chalamet, now unmistakably buzzed and bespectacled, walked toward a press room for film promotions, declaring, “Marty Supreme is an American film that comes out on Christmas 2025.” The transformation was more than just a style choice—it was a calculated move to embody his character and fuel the film’s promotional fire. As WWD noted, Chalamet’s signature curls have long been a hallmark of his public persona, making the buzzcut a bold and deliberate break from the past.
Behind the scenes, Marty Supreme marks a significant milestone for director Josh Safdie. It’s his first solo project since splitting from his brother Benny Safdie, with whom he previously co-directed acclaimed films like Good Time and Uncut Gems. The film was co-written with Ronald Bronstein and produced by A24, which reportedly invested a whopping $70 million—its biggest gamble to date. The supporting cast reads like a who’s who of Hollywood and pop culture, featuring Gwyneth Paltrow, Odessa A’zion, Tyler the Creator, Fran Drescher, Sandra Bernhard, Penn Jillette, Kevin O’Leary, Abel Ferrara, and more.
The stakes are high—not just for Chalamet, but for A24 and Safdie as well. The production’s massive budget and the timing of its release, set for December 25, 2025, in U.S. theaters and January 1, 2026, in the UK, have positioned it as a major contender in this year’s awards season. And there’s an added twist: Benny Safdie’s own film, The Smashing Machine, starring Dwayne “The Rock” Johnson, is also making waves, setting up a possible brother-versus-brother showdown at the Oscars.
The atmosphere at the festival’s surprise screening was electric. As The Washington Post observed, the event felt like “a movie-world version of Game 7 of the NBA championships.” Everyone from die-hard film geeks to industry insiders wanted to be there, eager to witness what many are already calling the cinematic event of the year. The positive reactions and instant Oscar chatter only fueled anticipation for the film’s wide release.
For Chalamet, the transformation—both physical and artistic—signals a new chapter. Known for his dedication to roles, he’s shown once again that he’s willing to go the extra mile, whether it’s changing his hairstyle or diving deep into the psyche of a complex character. As fans and critics alike await the film’s Christmas Day release, one thing is clear: Marty Supreme has already secured its place as one of the year’s most talked-about movies, and Chalamet’s performance is set to be remembered for years to come.
The buzz from New York isn’t dying down anytime soon. With awards season on the horizon and social media still ablaze with speculation and excitement, all eyes are on Chalamet, Safdie, and the rest of the Marty Supreme team. Whether you’re a film buff, a Chalamet superfan, or just love a good underdog story, this is one cinematic event you won’t want to miss.
