There’s something special about the moment when an underground artist, beloved by a small but fervent group, breaks out onto the mainstream stage. For the last decade and change, director Timo Tjahjanto has been making horror and action films (and sometimes both at once) that have made a splash among genre enthusiasts. His co-directing work with Kimo Stamboel, as part of “The Mo Brothers” duo, caught the attention of producers of horror anthology franchises like The ABCs of Death and V/H/S. Tjahjanto was soon given the opportunity to create a few eye-popping segments for those anthologies, marking the start of his solo career.
That then led Timo Tjahjanto to break out on his own, making genre films in his native Indonesia that were distributed in the United States by Netflix. One of those movies, the brutal action epic The Night Comes for Us (2018), helped Tjahjanto gain notice from a large number of Americans, both within and outside the film industry. As star and producer Bob Odenkirk recently told us here at DiscussingFilm, it was that movie that led to Tjahjanto being tapped to direct the sequel Nobody 2 (2025).
Now that Nobody 2 has been released in theaters nationwide, it can truly be said that Timo Tjahjanto has arrived in Hollywood. As the filmmaker revealed in an exclusive chat with DiscussingFilm, he’s super excited to bring his ultraviolent sensibilities to some high-profile projects on this side of the world. While he certainly has some original ideas in mind for the future, Tjahjanto is more than happy to explore franchises and sequels for now. In the following discussion, Timo Tjahjanto tells us about his love for Bob Odenkirk, his approach to action in Nobody 2, what’s going on with The Beekeeper 2, and the surprising franchise that he would work on next if given the chance.
Courtesy of Universal
Exclusive Interview with Director Timo Tjahjanto for Nobody 2
Bob Odenkirk previously told me how much he loved The Night Comes for Us, so I know why he recruited you for Nobody 2. However, I was wondering what drew you to this sequel from a personal perspective?
Timo Tjahjanto: I don’t want to kiss Bob’s ass after what you just said, but here’s the thing. I was intimidated, of course, because the first film is very well done. Ilya [Naishuller] is one of those filmmakers who always intimidates because of how clear his vision is. Hardcore Henry was such an extremely great viewing experience for a violent filmmaker like me.
At the same time, the temptation to work with somebody who… this is Bob Odenkirk from Better Call Saul! The first thing that I said to Bob was how that last frame from the finale of Better Call Saul haunts me, when he does that little gesture [mimes finger guns] to Kim Wexler. I could never forget that, and he was like, “Awesome, thanks!” (Laughs) The rest is history.
Was there a noticeable difference in making Nobody 2 compared to your earlier genre work? Was it more comfortable in terms of having more resources to work with, or were you still trying to stay pretty frugal?
Timo Tjahjanto: One of the things that I had to learn in this film is actually the act of trusting somebody to collaborate with you, in terms of how you want to deliver the action. Believe it or not, I never actually worked with a second unit team until this movie. Usually, in my other projects, even the simple close-up shot of a pencil writing something in a book, I would be shooting that. Here, because we work in tandem and there are a lot of night hours, sometimes it’s about dividing the team like, “Alright, I’m done with Bob’s take, the second team can now do this.”
Timo Tjahjanto: By the way, my second unit director, Greg Rementer, did such an amazing job. Greg would be communicating with me through a monitor and a walkie-talkie, like, “Timo, I’m about to do the explosion, let me see if this is what you want, alright?” That process was a brand-new experience for me, and I couldn’t be more thankful that they gave me one of the best guys. Second unit, here I come! I’m actually loving the process right now.
One of the things I love about this movie is how each fight scene is tied to a distinct environment. You have the characters, and Hutch Mansell specifically, utilizing what’s around them to their advantage. Can you talk about developing these set pieces?
Timo Tjahjanto: This sequel had to be much more playful and colorful in tone compared to the first film. There’s a seriousness and a kind of dark comedy that worked so well in the first movie. It feels wintry in that way. So, with this one, we know that Hutch really wants this vacation; we’re living his childhood memories of going to a water park. Now, what makes a water park so unique? It’s also a place where accidents can happen. Thus, our approach was, what if this sequel, towards the end, becomes some sort of twisted Home Alone set in a water park?
I remember scouting an amusement park and seeing all the rides, thinking with Greg [Rementer]: “How can you get killed with this machine? How do you get killed in a ball pit?” The fear of walking into a huge ball pit and stepping on a nail or something sharp is a real-life concern. Well, let’s replace a nail with some land mines, how about that? It’s a very playful process, and in the end, it becomes the identity of the film.
You also have a background in horror, and I find that filmmakers with experience in both horror and action make their set pieces that much more visceral because of their abilities. Did any of your horror roots come into use when making Nobody 2?
Timo Tjahjanto: I wanted to keep the idea that Hutch Mansell is not always safe. We tried to strike a healthy balance between a fun set piece, such as the duck boat, and something more visceral and gritty, like what happens next in the warehouse. Hutch is a tough guy. He has a lot of mileage, but at the same time, certain foes will definitely outpower him if he’s not careful.
Timo Tjahjanto: Even though the story becomes more fantastical [towards the end], we still recognize that Hutch is only a man. Like all of us, he’s aging, he’s prone to missteps. The tension lies in the fact that, unlike John Wick, there are people who can overpower him, so that’s what we wanted to keep in this sequel.
I’m so excited for Beekeeper 2. That first movie was a surprise new favorite of mine. When you got announced as the director of the next one, I was pumped.
Timo Tjahjanto: Trust me, I’m excited too! I just flew from London, where we are prepping the film, and it’s truly going to be something else. Look, working with Jason Statham, he’s such a perfectionist. He was like, “Timo, please, can we do this?” And I said, “Alright, Jason, I’m trying so hard not to disappoint you.”
If Hollywood approached you with a blank check tomorrow, what do you think your next project would be?
Timo Tjahjanto: I do have several original ideas in mind. However, right now, I’m happy to be the “sequel guy,” to be honest. There’s something fun about asking, “Hey, what if I do this movie with my own take?” One thing I will never say no to is a Terminator film, though.
To this day, I think about how great that scene is of Arnold [Schwarzenegger] walking into the police station and shooting everybody up. There’s something really cool about bullets hitting flesh, then revealing parts of a machine. If an offer comes to do a Terminator film and they say, “But Timo, you can only do it without getting paid!” I would go, “You know what? Screw it.” I’ll do a Terminator movie for free, no doubt.
Nobody 2 is now playing in theaters!
Release Date: August 15, 2025.
Directed by Timo Tjahjanto.
Screenplay by Derek Kolstad & Aaron Rabin.
Story by Aaron Rabin.
Produced by Bob Odenkirk, David Leitch, Kelly McCormick, Marc Provissiero, & Braden Aftergood.
Executive Producer: David Hyman.
Main Cast: Bob Odenkirk, Connie Nielsen, RZA, Christopher Lloyd, Sharon Stone, Michael Ironside, Nolan Grantham, Pyper Braun, Jahron Wilson, Colin Salmon, Billy MacLellan, Gage Munroe, Paisley Cadorath, Colin Hanks, John Ortiz, Mckenna Grace, Daniel Maclnnis, Madison MacIsaac, Isla Verot, Ryan David Younes, Nicholas J. Verdi, Cindy Myskiw, Zara Longe, & Daniel Bernhardt.
Cinematographer: Callan Green.
Composer: Dominic Lewis.
Production Companies: 87North Productions & Odenkirk Provissiero Entertainment.
Distributor: Universal Pictures.
Runtime: 89 minutes.
Rated R.
