Movies - Normal : Bob Odenkirk Steps into a Town Where Nothing Is What It Seems

By Mulder, 19 february 2026

The new trailer for Normal has just landed, and it instantly radiates that peculiar energy that fans of Ben Wheatley have learned to recognize: a cocktail of tension, offbeat humor, and sudden bursts of violence framed with unnerving calm. Headlined by Bob Odenkirk, the footage teases a deceptively quiet Midwestern setting where politeness masks menace, and where a temporary sheriff named Ulysses steps into what looks like a routine assignment that spirals into something far darker. The editing rhythm of the trailer is telling: long, almost languid shots of Normal, Minnesota punctuated by razor-sharp flashes of chaos. It’s the kind of tonal contrast Wheatley has mastered since Kill List and Free Fire, and here it feels sharpened by a distinctly American crime-thriller sensibility. The atmosphere suggests not just action, but paranoia and mystery, hinting that the town itself may be the antagonist.

Behind the camera, the film carries serious pedigree. Ben Wheatley, known for blending genre cinema with psychological unease, directs from a screenplay by Derek Kolstad, the architect of the John Wick universe. The collaboration alone is fascinating: Kolstad’s muscular, precision-engineered action writing meeting Wheatley’s taste for discomfort and unpredictability. Industry chatter around the project dates back several years, with Kolstad having reportedly written an early version of Normal before Nobody (2021) even rolled cameras. During the making of that film, conversations between Derek Kolstad and Bob Odenkirk reshaped the concept into a vehicle that could again exploit Odenkirk’s now well-established “unexpected action lead” persona. The trailer clearly leans into that duality, Ulysses appears weary, observant, almost reluctant, yet the flashes of brutality promise the same explosive capability audiences embraced in Nobody. What’s striking is how the trailer emphasizes suspense over spectacle, suggesting a Hitchcockian undercurrent rather than a straightforward shoot-’em-up.

The story teased in the trailer is deliciously simple and sinister: Sheriff Ulysses arrives in the sleepy town of Normal, Minnesota, only to confront a bank robbery that seems less like an isolated crime and more like a crack in a carefully constructed façade. As the preview unfolds, suspicion spreads. Glances linger too long. Conversations feel loaded. The implication gives the film a conspiratorial edge reminiscent of small-town noir. Wheatley’s visual language amplifies that unease: symmetrical compositions, quiet interiors, and a creeping sense that danger lurks just outside the frame. Even in brief snippets, the town feels stylized rather than merely realistic, like an Americana postcard slowly curling at the edges.

Production-wise, Normal followed a path that cinephiles love to dissect. Principal photography began on October 21, 2024, in Winnipeg, a location that continues to double convincingly for countless American towns thanks to its adaptable architecture and film-friendly infrastructure. Reports confirmed a cast surrounding Bob Odenkirk that includes Henry Winkler and Lena Headey, alongside performers such as Reena Jolly, Ryan Allen, Billy MacLellan, Brendan Fletcher, Peter Shinkoda, and Jess McLeod. The creative team further deepens the intrigue: cinematography by Armando Salas, editing by Jonathan Amos, and a musical score by Harry Gregson-Williams with Ryder McNair. That pairing alone raises expectations, Gregson-Williams’ ability to fuse orchestral urgency with modern textures has elevated everything from blockbuster franchises to intimate thrillers, and the trailer’s sound design hints at a score that will oscillate between brooding restraint and propulsive intensity.

The film’s festival debut added another layer of credibility. Normal premiered in the Midnight Madness section at the 2025 Toronto International Film Festival on September 7, 2025, a program renowned for launching bold, genre-driven crowd-pleasers. Early reactions circulating within industry circles described a lean, tightly wound experience, with a reported running time of 90 minutes, a duration that suggests narrative efficiency rather than indulgence. Midnight Madness has historically been a fertile ground for cult sensations and breakout genre titles, making the selection itself a statement about the film’s tone and ambition. Shortly thereafter, Magnolia Pictures acquired U.S. distribution rights, scheduling the theatrical release for April 17, 2026, across approximately 2,000 theaters — the widest release in the company’s history, signaling unusual confidence in the film’s crossover potential.

Distribution agreements secured during the European Film Market underline that optimism. Pre-sales placed the film with Sky Cinema in the United Kingdom, Amazon MGM Studios across multiple international territories including Canada, Scandinavia, Australia, and New Zealand, Metropolitan Filmexport in France, and Leonine Studios in Germany. Such a spread reflects both the global appeal of Bob Odenkirk and the commercial reliability associated with Derek Kolstad’s brand of action storytelling. Yet the trailer indicates that Normal may resist easy categorization: this looks less like franchise-building material and more like a tightly contained descent into moral ambiguity and escalating dread, the sort of film that thrives on word-of-mouth and post-screening debates.

What lingers after the trailer ends is not a single explosive image, but a mood: Normal as a place where civility becomes camouflage, where violence erupts without warning, and where Ben Wheatley once again appears intent on destabilizing audience expectations. With Bob Odenkirk navigating that precarious line between vulnerability and lethal competence, supported by the presence of Henry Winkler and Lena Headey, Normal positions itself as one of those genre hybrids that can surprise even seasoned viewers. If the trailer is any indication, this is shaping up to be an unnervingly precise blend of crime thriller, dark comedy, and psychological tension, the kind of cinematic experience that feels calm, until suddenly it isn’t.

Synopsis : 
Sheriff Ulysses takes up his post in a new town. When the bank is robbed by strangers, Ulysses uncovers a conspiracy and realizes that everyone in town, from the bartender to the priest, is in on it.

Normal
Directed by Ben Wheatley
Screenplay by Derek Kolstad
Story by Derek Kolstad, Bob Odenkirk
Produced by Marc Provissiero, Bob Odenkirk, Derek Kolstad
Starring  Bob Odenkirk, Henry Winkler, Lena Headey
Cinematography : Armando Salas
Edited by Jonathan Amos
Music by Harry Gregson-Williams, Ryder McNair
Production companies : OPE Partners, Tradecraft Productions, Le Foole Inc
Distributed by Magnolia Pictures (United States)
Release dates : September 7, 2025 (TIFF), April 17, 2026 (United States)
Running time : 90 minutes

Photos : Copyright Magnolia Pictures / WME Independent / Esquire