Derek Kolstad, the writer of Normal, which releases in India today, talks to The Free Press Journal about working with Bob Odenkirk, creating the world of John Wick, and more

Bob Odenkirk, known for shows such as Better Call Saul (2015–2022) and the movie Nobody (2021), is starring next in the action film Normal, directed by Ben Wheatley, releasing in India today. The film is about a small-town sheriff who uncovers dark mysteries after a local bank robbery.

The writer of the movie, Derek Kolstad, who also happens to be the creator of the John Wick universe, told us about the film, working with Bob, Lena Headey, and more. Excerpts:

How did this project come about?

I’m a big fan of westerns, and when I was on the bus on the first Nobody, I came up with this idea and pitched it to Mark, and he loved it. Six months later, Bob asked me about it, and I pitched it to him. And, to be honest, we didn’t have the bandwidth or time. And then, when the WGA went on strike, Bob called me and said, “I guess we got the time.” And that’s where it came from. We talked about doing something that was a love letter to the Coen brothers, to comedies and thrillers and gangster movies of the 30s and 40s, but something that was self-propelled, that it’s one movie at first, and then it becomes something altogether different.