The end of the world has never looked quite this frantic—or this funny. As the countdown to the apocalypse begins, a newly released clip from the upcoming sci-fi action comedy Good Luck, Have Fun, Don’t Die showcases a high-stakes, verbal sparring match between Academy Award winner Sam Rockwell and Emmy nominee Juno Temple. The two stars find themselves at odds in a cramped diner, forced to set aside their mounting mutual irritation to tackle a slightly more pressing issue: the total collapse of human civilization at the hands of artificial intelligence.
Scheduled to hit theaters this Friday, February 13, via Briarcliff Entertainment, the film marks a significant cinematic milestone. It signals the long-awaited return of visionary director Gore Verbinski (The Ring, Pirates of the Caribbean), who steps back behind the camera for the first time in ten years. Working from a whip-smart script by Matthew Robinson (Love and Monsters, The Invention of Lying), Verbinski looks to bring his signature blend of kinetic energy and dark humor to a premise that feels both absurd and terrifyingly relevant.
The 117th Time’s the Charm?
The premise of Good Luck, Have Fun, Don’t Die is a chaotic twist on the time-travel genre. The story kicks off when a bedraggled man (Rockwell) bursts into a crowded, mundane diner brandishing a detonator. His claim is as bold as it is desperate: he is a traveler from a dystopian future, and this specific moment in the diner is the “ground zero” for humanity’s downfall.
Perhaps the most grueling detail for our protagonist is that this isn’t his first attempt at a rescue mission. According to the film’s lore, this is the 117th time he has looped back to this exact moment, carrying the same urgent imperative. Each previous attempt has seemingly ended in failure, leaving him with a frayed psyche and a very short fuse.
To save the world, he must recruit a ragtag group of “distinctly unqualified” diner patrons—people who were just hoping for a cup of coffee and a side of hash browns, but are now tasked with dismantling an impending AI apocalypse. The mission? To stop an advanced digital intelligence from weaponizing the perils of social media to enslave or eradicate the human race.
A Masterclass in Banter
In the latest teaser clip, we see the friction that arises when high-concept sci-fi meets low-stakes human ego. Sam Rockwell, playing with his trademark jittery charisma, tries to explain the mechanics of the digital collapse, while Juno Temple’s character—one of the skeptical patrons caught in the crossfire—counters with a mixture of disbelief and sharp-tongued wit.
The chemistry between the two is immediate. Rockwell’s character is a man who has seen the world end 116 times, leading to a performance that is equal parts heroic and unhinged. Temple, known for her ability to play characters with hidden depths and fierce independence, provides the perfect foil. Their “heated” exchange highlights the film’s core tension: how do you convince a group of strangers to care about the future when they can barely stand each other in the present?
An Ensemble for the End of Days
While Rockwell and Temple lead the charge, the diner is packed with a formidable ensemble cast that promises to make the “unqualified” team a joy to watch. The lineup includes:
- Haley Lu Richardson: Bringing her grounded, relatable energy to the chaos.
- Michael Peña: Likely providing his signature comedic timing as a bewildered bystander.
- Zazie Beetz: Adding a layer of cool-headedness (or perhaps justified cynicism) to the group.
- Asim Chaudhry and Tom Taylor: Completing a team that looks more like a Saturday morning breakfast club than a revolutionary militia.
Behind the Scenes
The production is a powerhouse collaboration. Verbinski produces alongside a veteran team including Robert Kulzer, Erwin Stoff, Oly Obst, and Denise Chamian. Given Verbinski’s track record for world-building and Robinson’s knack for writing high-concept “heart” into his scripts, the film is poised to be more than just a standard action flick. It is a satirical look at our current obsession with digital connectivity and the potential “Terminator” scenario lurking behind our “Likes” and “Shares.”
Be warned, however: this isn’t a family-friendly romp. Good Luck, Have Fun, Don’t Die has officially been rated R for “pervasive language, violence, some grisly images, and brief sexual content.” It promises a gritty, adult-oriented take on the sci-fi comedy genre that doesn’t pull its punches—or its profanity.
Why Friday the 13th?
The release date of February 13—a Friday, no less—is a fittingly “unlucky” day for a film about the struggle to avoid a catastrophic fate. As audiences head to theaters this weekend, they’ll find out if Rockwell’s 117th attempt is the one that finally sticks, or if humanity is doomed to be scrolled into oblivion.