Every decade or so, the film industry needs a complete upheaval.
The playbook needs to be rewritten, the wheel needs a greasing, the business needs to be optimized for the modern moviegoer.
Over the past 60ish years, we’ve seen this happen with a) Easy Rider bypassing the studio system, b) Jaws and Star Wars singlehandedly inventing the blockbuster, c) Sundance democratizing independent cinema, d) movie-based Happy Meal toys hooking kids (I still have a plastic Simba somewhere), e) Titanic/My Big Fat Greek Wedding taking off thanks to word of mouth, f) Marvel franchising the Avengers every which way, g) MoviePass making tickets affordable, h) features being made on iPhones or using the found-footage aesthetic and h) Barbenheimer combining franchises to create a unique double feature bill.
That leaves us at an inflection point in 2026.
Other than regurgitating IP until the end of time — just wanted to let you know, I still love you Minions — where do we go next?
Brad Wyman and Peter Gold, the minds behind the brand new studio WG Pictures, might have an idea.
This producing pair is bringing director Oscar Boyson’s daring satire Our Hero, Balthazar (starring Y2K’s Jaeden Martell and Hugo’s Asa Butterfield) to the big screen in a unique way.
Jaeden Martell (L), Asa Butterfield mean mugging.
Rather than roll the dark comedy about an optimistic influencer befriending a potentially violent school shooter onto Hulu, the old school and new school twosome decided to do something wholly different.
Eventizing movies.
Essentially, Wyman (an industry vet who produced Monster, Detroit Rock City, Trees Lounge) and Gold (a recent NYU grad who visualized WG’s mission) imagine a future where every screening (even the 11 am matinees!) are hosted by an influencer that fosters conversation and community.
They figured there was no better project to try this with than the hot-button yet crowd-pleasing Our Hero, Balthazar whose grabby trailer made a major impression on YouTube, destroyed audiences at Tribeca and has spawned “crying booths” at subsequent screenings.
I talked to the fellas over Google Meet and got into the nitty gritty of their vision.
Below, you’ll find a condensed version of our chat.
Enjoy and please, please, please check out Our Hero, Balthazar in theaters (they’ll be holding a premiere in NYC on Thursday and Friday with the cast, by the way). You just might be part of the next major sea change in cinema history.
Matt: What was the tipping point that led you guys to create WG?
Peter Gold: For me, I was just blown away that existing distributors were not all over “Our Hero, Balthazar.”
Brad Wyman: The picture’s a masterpiece. It’s exquisite.
PG: Once we got onboard, we felt this was a movie worthy of being eventized so we did everything we could to make that happen.
ML: Are you most interested in box office or creating community with WG?
PG: The dream is to keep finding exciting movies, whether it be acquiring the rights to distribute them, partner with filmmakers, or create our own projects. The next movie we’re going to distribute is “Toad,” which is one of Brad’s longtime passion projects.
We have a very exciting cast (Craig Robinson, Ike Barinholtz, Tiffany Haddish) and it’s hilarious. You can expect to see the movie in theaters at the end of the summer.
BW: People want to be entertained and challenged. I think they want to hope. That’s why “Project Hail Mary” did so well this past weekend. We will continue to try to elevate storytelling, artistry and picture-making.
ML: What exactly does “eventizing films” look like?
PG: We’ve brought in Jet Le Parti who is an incredible Brooklyn-based artist and good friends with Noah Centineo and Enzo Marc. They have a production company called Arkham who partnered with us on the release. Anyway, Jet’s building an art gallery and exhibit featuring artwork inspired by “Our Hero, Balthazar.”
Separately, my friend, Alex Joseph Fox, throws raves. In order to get into this rave of his on the Saturday night of our opening, you have to buy a ticket to “Our Hero, Balthazar.”
BW: It’s the only way you get in!
PG: We’re going to have the cast show up to the rave and be a part of the experience…also, I know it sounds crazy but crying is a big part of our movie.
At an event we had a couple weeks back in NYC, we had people lining up to sit at a “cry booth” and sob. We’ll have a cry booth at the rave, too.
We have Q&As with Halsey, Jaeden Martel and Asa Butterfield, too. The entire cast has really come out to support.
BW: This is not unique, but we wanted to tour our cast. There were 16 premieres across the country for “Gone WIth The Wind” and Vivien Leigh and Clark Gable were at every one of them. When you take over a town, you’re showing everybody, this is where the event is and come join us.
PG: We want to be on 1,000+ screens so it’s going to be difficult if there are four shows a day but I believe every screening can have a host. I’m going to build a network of college students and ambassadors that can sign up to host a screening and build their own communities.
ML: How do you guys choose the projects you produce?
PG: We’re still figuring it out but I think it’s movies that excite us. Whether that means they strike an emotional nerve, have their finger on the pulse, say something on a greater level or give you the most unbelievable, entertaining cinematic experience.
What was so exciting about “Our Hero, Balthazar” is how scared existing distributors were to take on a movie like this. It wasn’t, “oh, we can’t market this.” It wasn’t “oh, this movie’s not good.” It was more that it was too scary for existing distributors to put their label on.
So, we were like, “this is the most exciting thing we could possibly attach ourselves to.” It’s dark and inspires conversation. We had a screening at the Roxy a few weeks back, and, someone who’s very knowledgeable about cinema and culture said “I know this is a good movie because, for me, the movie just started” meaning he’d be thinking about the film long after he walked out of the cinema.
ML: How can filmmakers join your mission and get on your guys’s radar?
PG: It starts with “Our Hero, Bathazar.” So anyone reading this, please buy tickets!
If you do, WG will be able to be that much more effective in continuing to be a distribution company.
BW: We want everybody to hop aboard. I want to see people’s films. I want to read their scripts. If there’s talent, bring it forward.
We’re salt of the earth, too. There’s no Hollywood here. Make good entertainment and we’ll work hard to make sure everybody sees it. We would like to include people within the ownership of the company.
ML: How did you guys get your starts in in film?
PG: I’ve always loved movies. I was doing theater at a young age and then started making my own short films when I was ten and never stopped. I did a program at UCLA Film School when I was 14 for directing and then a USC summer program after that. My childhood was dedicated to the craft of cinema.
Once I graduated, I went to NYU Film School where I directed a movie called “Thena” and continued producing movies.
BW: I realized pretty quickly that I couldn’t write, direct or act but found out there was this job called “producer” that meant “go get the money.” I said “I think I can do that.”
Soon after, I found a book called “Mrs. White” and optioned the rights when I was a 20-year-old student at NYU. I got Donald Cammbell, a classic filmmaker, to adapt it on spec.
Then, I hooked on with the amazing Elliot Kastner, who funded the movie version of “Mrs. White,” which was called “White Of The Eye” and was released in 1987. After that. I just never stopped.
ML: What’s the best theatrical experience you guys have had?
BW: My parents dropped me off at the Mann Chinese (now Grauman’s Chinese Theatre in Hollywood) in the morning, and I’d watch “Chitty Chitty Bang Bang” four times, and then they’d pick me up. That was my babysitter.
More recently, seeing “Top Gun: Maverick” after the pandemic was so exciting. That was something else. But the first time you see “2001,” I mean, Jesus, that’s an incredible theatrical experience. “Clockwork Orange,” too.
PG: The movie that comes to mind is “Waves” at an Angelika in the City. Mid-day screening and it was full.
I wasn’t expecting to have that level of emotional experience. I was just overwhelmed by the power of cinema in that room full of people experiencing something significant together.
ML: In Letterboxd tradition, hit me with your top four.
PG: I love “Apocalypse Now.” Probably “The Graduate.” “Boogie Nights” and I love “Good Time.”
BW: I love Preston Sturges “Sullivan’s Travels.” Maybe “Duck Soup.” “Being There” knocked me out. Then, I gotta have one movie about filmmaking so I’ll go with “Day For Night.” Pretty much anything Truffaut does.
