After folding her hand for Rian Johnson’s Poker Face series, Natasha Lyonne is ready to get back in the ring. According to The Hollywood Reporter, the former Poker Face star will write, direct, and produce Bambo, which follows a Brooklyn-born boxing-promoter father in the ’80s who tries and fails to become the next Don King, and “takes his kid daughter along for the hurly burly ride of tax evasion, cocaine, race cars, lost dreams and heartbreak.”
Lyonne wears several hats for the project, including her efforts to produce the film through her Animal Pictures studio, alongside Max Ferguson, Craig Mazin, and Sarah Sarandos for Word Games. Principal photography inside the squared circle is scheduled to begin in the summer of 2026.
What Else is Natasha Lyonne Working On?
Bambo is Lyonne’s second feature film after making plans to helm the AI film Uncanny Valley. Per THR’s description, Uncanny Valley “will be set in the world of immersive video games and will blend live-action and game elements while centering on a teenage girl who becomes unmoored by a hugely popular AR video game in a parallel present.” Lyonne and Brit Marling are penning the screenplay with Jaron Lanier.
Lyonne recently completed work on Taika Waititi’s adaptation of Kazuo Ishiguro’s Klara and the Sun. Natasha Lyonne stars in the adaptation alongside Steve Buscemi, Jenna Ortega, Any Adams, and Simon Baker. The story focuses on a robot girl designed to prevent loneliness who attempts to save a heartbroken human family. Currently, Lyonne is busy filming the Chandler Levack comedy Roommates. The film revolves around a bright-eyed freshman’s decision to room with a popular student, which leads to what starts as an exciting new friendship but gradually transforms into a subtle battle of wills. Lyonne is joined in the project by Adam Sandler, Sarah Sherman, Nick Kroll, Storm Reid, Aidan Langford, Sadie Sandler, Martin Herlihy, Chloe East, Annalise Mishler, and more.
Does Bambo Stand a Chance in a Genre That Struggles for Attention?
Between Sydney Sweeney’s Christy and Dwayne Johnson’s The Smashing Machine, there’s no shortage of sports dramas in Hollywood. Do you think Lyonne’s Bambo has what it takes to stand out in a genre that tends to struggle for attention from audiences? Let us know in the comments section below.
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The Hollywood Reporter
