If you’re a fan of indie cinema, odds are you’re a fan of Sean Baker. No one espouses the values and work ethic of indie cinema more than Baker. Whether that’s to use an iPhone 5 to film “Tangerine” or to believe in a group of unknown actors (led by then-six-year-old Brooklynn Prince) to carry a film like “The Florida Project,” as he did with his most recent works, Baker has a long history of taking risks and doing whatever it takes to make movies in an industry that is obsessed with blockbusters. And with that in mind, it shouldn’t shock anyone that the filmmaker has been keeping busy this pandemic by filming a brand-new feature, “Red Rocket.”
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According to Variety, Baker is about to finish production on a new dark comedy, “Red Rocket,” that stars none other than Simon Rex. Yes, if you’re a ‘90s kid, it’s that Simon Rex, of MTV fame and probably best known for his work on “Scary Movie 3.” There are no details about the plot to reveal, but we do know that Baker is once again teaming up with his frequent collaborator, Chris Bergoch, on the screenplay. In addition, we’re not sure if he’s using iPhones or what, but we do know that Drew Daniels, the DP behind last year’s “Waves,” is on board as cinematographer.
As mentioned, Baker is probably best known for his recent features, “Tangerine” and “The Florida Project,” with both earning rave reviews and awards recognition. In fact, “The Florida Project” was actually nominated for an Oscar in the Best Supporting Actor category (Willem Dafoe). However, since that film debuted in 2017, Baker has been mum on what he was going to do next. Recently, he denied reports that he was working with Bella Thorne on a documentary about her OnlyFans journey.
Rex is probably best known for his work in spoof films such as in the “Scary Movie” franchise, as well as “Shriek if You Know What I Did Last Friday the Thirteenth.” However, he really got his breakout in the ‘90s as a MTV personality. Recently, he starred in the 2017 film, “Bodied.”
There’s no release date set. Apparently, “Red Rocket” is independently financed and will be on the market for a distributor. Honestly, given how the industry is going, we can probably expect the film to arrive at a 2021 film festival and immediately get scooped up by a streaming service. But either way, new Sean Baker is always a good thing.