Gore Verbinski's Wild Return: Diving Into 'Good Luck, Have Fun, Don't Die'

After a nine-year hiatus, visionary director Gore Verbinski is back with a bonkers sci-fi adventure starring Sam Rockwell, promising time travel, rogue AI, and a whole lot of unexpected chaos. Get ready for a film unlike anything you've seen before!

TL;DR: The Essentials You Need to Know

• Gore Verbinski, director of Pirates of the Caribbean and Rango, makes his highly anticipated return after nine years.
• Sam Rockwell leads an eclectic group of diner patrons against a rogue artificial intelligence from an apocalyptic future.
• Early festival reviews have been overwhelmingly positive, hailing the film as a unique blend of sci-fi, dark comedy, and biting social commentary.

Stepping Into the Chaos: Sam Rockwell's Apocalyptic Diner Takeover

Imagine this: you're just trying to enjoy a quiet meal at your favorite Los Angeles diner when a disheveled man, clad in mismatched shoes, dripping tubes, and a child's backpack, bursts in. He’s bearded, frantic, and claims to be from a "nightmare apocalypse" in the future. His mission? To recruit you and your fellow bewildered patrons for a desperate, six-block quest to stop a rogue artificial intelligence from destroying the world. Sounds wild, right?

That's the electrifying premise of Good Luck, Have Fun, Don't Die, the long-awaited new film from director Gore Verbinski. The recently released teaser trailer, which dropped on November 12, 2025, from Briarcliff Entertainment, gives us a chaotic glimpse into this sci-fi dark comedy, confirming it's exactly as bonkers as it sounds, with Sam Rockwell at its unhinged, charismatic center. (Source: IndieWire, ‘Good Luck, Have Fun, Don’t Die’ Teaser: Gore Verbinski’s First Film in Nine Years Is a Tongue-in-Cheek Sci-Fi Adventure, November 12, 2025).

Gore Verbinski's Triumphant Return to Filmmaking After a Long Absence

It’s been a minute since we’ve seen a new feature film from Gore Verbinski. His last outing was the psychological horror A Cure for Wellness back in 2016, marking a nine-year gap. Fans of his diverse filmography have been eagerly awaiting his next project, and it seems the wait has been worth it. Verbinski is known for his ability to craft immersive, imaginative worlds, whether it's the high-seas swashbuckling of the first three Pirates of the Caribbean movies or the eerie scares of The Ring.

He even nabbed an Oscar nomination for his animated Western, Rango, in 2011. While not every venture has been a critical darling (remember 2013's The Lone Ranger?), his return with Good Luck, Have Fun, Don't Die has been met with significant excitement, suggesting a creative resurgence. This film sees him collaborating with screenwriter Matthew Robinson, known for his work on The Invention of Lying and Love and Monsters, promising a script filled with both humor and sharp commentary.

Beyond the Sci-Fi: Unpacking the Film's Timely Themes and Social Commentary

While the trailer offers plenty of explosive action and bizarre visuals—think zombie-like teens glued to smartphones, creepy animated toys straight out of Sid Phillips’ workshop, a pastel kids' birthday party gone awry, and yes, even a giant horse crunching a car—the film dives deep into relevant anxieties. The central antagonist is a rogue AI, a theme increasingly prevalent in Hollywood from Mission Impossible - Dead Reckoning to Tron: Ares.

But Verbinski and Robinson aren't just creating a generic AI uprising story. They're exploring the roots of our current predicament. Director Gore Verbinski explained his perspective in an interview, stating, "I think that’s the beginning of the erosion. This man from the future is coming back to save the world, but save the world from what? I think that is the primary sickness that allows the other one to manifest." He points to the insidious ways social media has already begun to shape human interaction and, by extension, the AI that studies us. (Source: BUT WHY THO, Gore Verbinski Discusses ‘Good Luck, Have Fun, Don’t Die’ and Why CGI No Longer Looks Good, November 12, 2025).

The film doesn't shy away from a bleak view of not just a future dominated by AI, but also a present where many Americans feel resigned to a violent world dictated by Silicon Valley's relentless greed. It's a dark comedy that promises to be hysterically funny while still packing a provocative punch, holding a mirror up to our relationship with technology and our increasing disconnection from each other.

A Stellar Ensemble Cast Ready for the Wildest Night of Their Lives

Leading this bizarre charge is Oscar-winner Sam Rockwell, whose character, the "Man from the Future," is described as an "untrustworthy narrator." His ability to play chaotic, vulnerable, and deeply human characters makes him a perfect fit for a role that requires audiences to wonder if he’s a prophet or a madman. He's joined by an impressive ensemble that will likely provide the grounded reactions needed for such an over-the-top premise.

The stellar cast includes:

• Sam Rockwell as the Man From The Future
• Haley Lu Richardson as Ingrid
• Michael Peña as Mark
• Zazie Beetz as Janet
• Juno Temple as Susan
• Asim Chandhry
• Tom Taylor
• Dino Fetscher
• Anna Acton
• Daniel Barnett
• Dominique Maher

This lineup guarantees some memorable chemistry as these unlikely recruits, armed with gardening tools and sporting equipment, prepare for a very wild night. For example, imagine a scene where Michael Peña’s Mark, perhaps a mild-mannered teacher, finds himself trying to wield a tennis racket against a horde of AI-mesmerized teens. The comedic potential, combined with the underlying commentary on our digital addiction, feels both absurd and eerily prescient.

Crafting a "Spectacular" Vision Without Relying on Artificial Intelligence

Despite tackling a story about AI, Verbinski made a conscious decision to avoid using artificial intelligence tools in the film's production. This might seem like a limitation for a film focused on futuristic threats, but it speaks to Verbinski’s commitment to his craft. He noted that they had to "future-proof" the animations by creating them manually to look like something AI could eventually generate, rather than using nascent AI tools which were legally dubious and lacked emotional depth at the time. (Source: BUT WHY THO, Gore Verbinski Discusses ‘Good Luck, Have Fun, Don’t Die’ and Why CGI No Longer Looks Good, November 12, 2025).

Verbinski is famously a proponent of practical effects and a meticulous approach to visual effects. He argues that the rise of gaming aesthetics from engines like Unreal entering cinema has led to a decline in photorealism, creating an "uncanny valley" where CGI creatures and environments don't react to light and subsurface scattering in the same way real objects do. He stated, "I think that Unreal Engine coming in and replacing Maya as a sort of fundamental is the greatest slip backwards."

In Good Luck, Have Fun, Don't Die, Verbinski and his team at Ghost VFX aimed to keep at least 50% of the frame photographic, using real props as references to ensure CG replacements felt authentic. This deliberate approach allows the film to "feel spectacular" despite its relatively low budget—a budget so modest, Verbinski joked, it "cost the price of David Jones' tentacles" from his Pirates days. While some might question how grand a "small-scale, low-budget" film can truly look compared to Verbinski's blockbusters, his dedication to tangible, photographic elements over pure digital creation often yields more impactful and lasting visuals. His reasoning is that even if a CGI helicopter looks real, if it 'flies wrong,' the brain instantly knows it's not. This attention to motion and physical interaction underscores his quality-first philosophy.

Early Reviews Hailing 'Good Luck, Have Fun, Don't Die' as a Masterpiece

The film had its world premiere as a secret screening at Fantastic Fest in Austin, Texas, in September 2025, receiving early praise from critics. It currently boasts an impressive 94% on Rotten Tomatoes based on 16 reviews, the highest score of Verbinski's career to date. Critics have called it a "surreal cyberpunk masterwork" (Source: MovieWeb, Sam Rockwell Battles Rogue A.I. in Gore Verbinski’s Bonkers Sci-Fi Film GOOD LUCK, HAVE FUN, DON'T DIE, November 12, 2025) and a "dark, timely, and wildly funny satirical time-travel romp" that feels "entirely fresh and new."

Many have specifically lauded Sam Rockwell's performance, describing it as charismatic and pivotal to the film's success. Perhaps the highest praise comes from a review by Variety, comparing its intricate imagination to "Everything Everywhere All at Once-level imagination," a significant nod to its potential for both critical acclaim and popular appeal. Briarcliff Entertainment CEO Tom Ortenberg has also praised the film as "wildly original, endlessly entertaining, and unlike anything audiences have seen before."

Final Thoughts: Mark Your Calendars for a Must-See Cinematic Event

After a nearly decade-long break, Gore Verbinski is clearly back with a vengeance, delivering a film that's both deeply relevant and wildly entertaining. Good Luck, Have Fun, Don't Die looks like a chaotic, clever, and truly original ride that blends sci-fi, dark comedy, and profound social commentary into a visually distinct package. It's a testament to Verbinski's unique vision and his commitment to storytelling that prioritizes human experience, even when battling an artificial intelligence gone rogue.

FAQ: Quick Answers to Your Burning Questions

What is the release date for Good Luck, Have Fun, Don't Die?

The film is scheduled to be released in theaters on February 13, 2026. It was originally slated for January 30, 2026, but the date was shifted.

What is the runtime of the film?

Reported runtimes vary, but the film is expected to be between 100 and 134 minutes long.

What is the rating for Good Luck, Have Fun, Don't Die?

The film has been rated R.

Who are the main cast members in the movie?

The ensemble cast features Sam Rockwell, Haley Lu Richardson, Michael Peña, Zazie Beetz, Asim Chandhry, Tom Taylor, and Juno Temple.

Sources

• Polygon, "The new trailer for Gore Verbinski’s Good Luck, Have Fun, Don’t Die features time travel, zombie teens, and a giant horse", November 12, 2025.
• IndieWire, "‘Good Luck, Have Fun, Don’t Die’ Teaser: Gore Verbinski’s First Film in Nine Years Is a Tongue-in-Cheek Sci-Fi Adventure", November 12, 2025.
• Ars Technica, "Gore Verbinski’s New Movie Looks Like the Wildest Thing Ever", November 12, 2025.
• Consequence, "Gore Verbinski Reveals Trailer for Time-Travel Heist Good Luck, Have Fun, Don’t Die: Watch", November 12, 2025.
• GeekTyrant, "Sam Rockwell Battles Rogue A.I. in Gore Verbinski’s Bonkers Sci-Fi Film GOOD LUCK, HAVE FUN, DON'T DIE", November 12, 2025.
• io9, "Gore Verbinski’s New Movie Looks Like the Wildest Thing Ever", November 12, 2025.
• BUT WHY THO, "Gore Verbinski Discusses ‘Good Luck, Have Fun, Don’t Die’ and Why CGI No Longer Looks Good", November 12, 2025.
• MovieWeb, "Sam Rockwell Battles Rogue A.I. in Gore Verbinski’s Bonkers Sci-Fi Film GOOD LUCK, HAVE FUN, DON'T DIE", November 12, 2025.
• Daily Dead, "Watch the Teaser Trailer for Gore Verbinski’s GOOD LUCK, HAVE FUN, DON’T DIE", November 12, 2025.
• /Film, "Sam Rockwell Fights A Sci-Fi Apocalypse In Gore Verbinski's Good Luck, Have Fun, Don't Die Trailer", November 12, 2025.