Normal: Bob Odenkirk’s latest action film gets a 2026 wide release courtesy of Magnolia Pictures

After squaring off against Sharon Stone in Nobody 2, you’d think Bob Odenkirk could use a vacation. However, he’s content to keep kicking ass and taking names alongside Derek Kolstad with the duo’s latest project, Normal. On Monday, Deadline announced that Magnolia Pictures had acquired U.S. rights to Normal, the action film directed by Ben Wheatley and with a script by Kolstad.

Normal premiered during a Midnight Madness presentation at this year’s Toronto International Film Festival, receiving rave reviews among critics and attendees. Magnolia plans to “go big or go home” for Normal by giving the film the studio’s widest release in theaters to date.

Bob Odenkirk playing Ulysses in Normal, a lawman “who is thrust into the temporary role of the sheriff for the small sleepy town Normal after the previous one’s untimely death. When the town’s bank is robbed by an out-of-town couple, Ulysses arrives on the scene to find that the town is hiding much more sinister deep-seated secrets under its surface and everyone – from the bartender to the priest – is in on it. And now Ulysses, who’s up-till-now focused only on running away from the demons of his past, must uncover the full extent of this criminal conspiracy.”

“Magnolia Pictures is beyond thrilled to bring this insanely entertaining movie to theatrical audiences across the country,” Magnolia co-CEOs Eamonn Bowles and Dori Begley said, confirming the deal. “Director Ben Wheatley and writer Derek Kolstad are at the top of their game,s and Bob Odenkirk continues his mastery of the everyman action hero with his best film role yet.”

Our Editor-in-Chief and annual TIFF warrior, Chris Bumbray, reviewed Normal for the site. He gave Wheatley and Odenkirk’s collaboration a solid 7/10 score and said it was exactly what he wanted from a Bob Odenkirk-led action film. “It’s packed with carnage, with him in top form as both action star and leading man. His chemistry with [Jess] McLeod is especially strong, and if a follow-up were to focus on the two of them as a team, I’d be first in line to check it out.”

Are you excited about Normal getting a wide release from Magnolia Pictures? Let us know in the comments section below.

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