The Business
In 'Free Fire,' Ben Wheatley wants to "meet the audience halfway"
British filmmaker Ben Wheatley has built up a cult following with his hyper-violent, darkly funny movies. His newest film Free Fire is an action comedy starring Brie Larson, Armie Hammer, and a whole lot of guns. The movie has the broadest commercial appeal of any of his work to date, but it's still a Ben Wheatley film, which means, spoiler alert...a lot of people die.
By Michael Schneider • • 28m ListenProlific director Ben Wheatley is known for his intense, super violent movies like Down Terrace and Kill List. His newest film--a dark action-comedy called Free Fire features Brie Larson, Armie Hammer and Sharlto Copley as 1970's arms dealers stuck in a Mexican standoff inside a decrepit warehouse. KCRW's Matt Holzman talks to Wheatley about his attempt "meet the audience halfway" on Free Fire, dealing with casting changes, and whether he'd ever want to direct a big-budget studio film.
Photo: Director Ben Wheatley (R) with Armie Hammer on set of Free Fire (Kerry Brown/A24)
