This year’s Sundance Film Festival brought a range of genre-bending movies, one of which was Bubble & Squeak. Written and directed by Evan Twohy in his feature directorial debut, the movie is set in a fictional country in which cabbages are outlawed. The story puts its spotlight on Declan and Delores, a married couple whose struggles to reconnect come as they are accused of smuggling cabbages into the country, forcing them to go on the run while also having to reckon with what they want from their relationship.

The Franchise‘s Himesh Patel and Barry‘s Sarah Goldberg lead the ensemble Bubble & Squeak cast alongside Day Shift‘s Dave Franco, Mickey 17‘s Steven Yeun, What We Do in the Shadows’ Matt Berry, Ursel Tilk, Jaak Prints and Inga Salurand. In addition to co-starring in the film, Yeun produced it alongside Christina Oh, leaping at the “boldness” of the movie’s tone and message, while also working hard to ensure that he was “preserving” Twohy’s voice, while Patel and Goldberg found themselves presented with a unique challenge of creating “anti-chemistry“.

In honor of the movie’s Sundance Film Festival premiere, ScreenRant interviewed Evan Twohy, Himesh Patel, Sarah Goldberg, Dave Franco and Steven Yeun to discuss Bubble & Squeak. The writer/director recalled the collaborative environment he sought to create with Patel and Goldberg to create the movie’s unique tone, while the stars reveal how they found their “anti-chemistry” after only meeting when filming began. Franco, meanwhile, reacted to having two movies premiering at Sundance, while Yeun also discussed producing the film and what to expect from Invincible season 3.

Patel Recalls How Bubble & Squeak‘s Script “Really Did Blow Me Away”

“…it’s a great ride.”

ScreenRant: This seems like such a fascinating movie, just from the concept alone. I’d love to hear what it was about Evan’s concept or the script that really drew you to want to be a part of the film.

Himesh Patel: It kind of was the concept, I was very intrigued. And then, when I read the script, it really did blow me away in terms of its originality. Obviously, I’ve never read anything that’s about this, and is like this, and he clearly had such a singular vision.

Now, one of the interesting things that he just talked about with us was how he had to find sort of an anti-chemistry between his two lead actors. I’d love to hear what that was like for you finding that dynamic and rapport with Sarah as filming went on.

Himesh Patel: In my opinion, we got on like a house of five from the very beginning. We’d exchanged a couple of emails, but we didn’t meet until we got to Estonia. So, I felt like we were going to get on. We’ve got a lot of mutual friends. I was correct, we got on really well. So then you, you feel free to just kind of suggest things, try things, and really dig into that, the essence of what Evan was trying to get to. How they keep missing each other is kind of so much of what this film’s about.

Having that trust with a partner is really important, so I’m glad you got to have that. What is one of the big things you really are looking forward to audiences taking away from this film?

Himesh Patel: Oh, just that it’s a great ride. I think Evan describes it as a screwball comedy. It is that, it’s very funny, it’s very strange in the most beautiful way. And I think it, as with any good film, has this discussion and theorizing and all sorts of things like that. But I just hope people have a good time. It’s a really fun trip to the cinema.

I was a big fan of The Franchise, so I am disappointed you guys aren’t getting a season 2. How did it feel for you when you heard that news, that the cancellation was happening?

Himesh Patel: Yeah, it was really disappointing, obviously, because I loved making that show. I really, really enjoyed it. So, I’m sad for everyone involved. I loved making it because of those people. I’m sad, it was a great time, and people have enjoyed it.

Goldberg Had To Find The “Rhythmic Kind Of Motion” To Her & Patel’s Characters Quickly

“…there’s this kind of brewing, textured animosity.”

ScreenRant: Evan was talking about how you and Himesh had to form a sort of anti-chemistry to find your character’s dynamic. I’d love to hear what it was like finding that with Himesh both prior to and during filming.

Sarah Goldberg: Well, to be honest, there’s so much on the page, there’s a rhythmic kind of motion to the thing that Evan really created with these two mad characters. And I met Himesh for the first time a few days before shooting in Estonia, and we had a few days’ rehearsal, and we quickly had to find this kind of rhythm they have, where it’s almost as though they could answer each other’s sentences, but at the same time, there’s this kind of brewing, textured animosity. So, I don’t know, we kind of snapped into the rhythm of the language quite quickly, and I think that’s what helped us.

Yeun Didn’t Have “A Full Grasp” Of The Movie’s Message When He First Got The Script

He Also Teases How Invincible Season 3 Will Adapt Mark’s Blue Suit Arc

ScreenRant: I’d love to hear what it was about Evan’s concept that really drew you not only to want to be a part of the cast, but to help produce it.

Steven Yeun: Yeah, you know, when I first read his script, I was just amazed at the boldness of its tone, the ᴀssuredness of what it was trying to communicate. I think, for me, it was also the fact that I didn’t have a full grasp of what it was trying to say off the page. When I say that, I don’t mean like, “Oh, it wasn’t saying anything.” I was just like, “I don’t know how to put this to words,” and that intrigued me. So, you know, I’m looking for chances like that to kind of speak beyond what we know, and maybe in ways that we don’t even know.

So, you’ve also worked with so many iconic filmmakers, both in front of the camera and behind, who Evan already reminds me of, whether it be Bong Joon-ho, or Boots Riley. What was your experience like working with Evan in comparison to maybe to some of those other visionaries you’ve worked with?

Steven Yeun: You know, I think the common thread that I see — every director is their own individual, and their own artist. I think the common thread that I personally look for is, “Does that person have a point of view, and are they courageous enough to let it reveal itself, say it?” I think all the directors that you mentioned, the thing that they share, that I’m very thankful for, is they never really had a stranglehold on how to make the film. It was really collaborative, and those are the best people to work with.

So what was one of the big things that you found you were really able to help bring to this film from the producer’s chair, in comparison to maybe being in front of the camera?

Steven Yeun: I think it was that, just preserving. As a producer, I really wanted to preserve his voice, I really wanted to preserve the film kind of revealing itself over time. I think when you get a script like this, you can try to mold it and frame it and try to make it make sense in a way that we have seen before. But I think, for us, our exercise with Christina [Oh] was really about making sure that Evan felt protected and supported, and then bringing in incredible artists together that could collaborate with us on the scene.

For my very final question, I’m obviously a big fan of Invincible. I’m looking forward to Mark’s blue suit arc. I know in the comics that gets very dark, can you share how dark the show might get in comparison to the comics on that side?

Steven Yeun: You know, Simon and Robert are really — Robert, having created the whole thing — very serious about this show. It’s not just something that they’re making after he has made his comic. It’s a very serious thing, so I think they’re taking all of it — I don’t want to say serious again. [Laughs] But they’re trying to make something really great and something that stands on its own.

So, we certainly will go to the places I’m sure that people are wanting to go, and maybe go beyond them too, because we’re making them in the booth. It doesn’t feel like we’re so precious to hit the same tonality, or be too rigid about it all. I think, even in the booth, you find new ways of doing things. The scripts are a little bit different. But, yeah, we should all feel ᴀssured that it’s Robert at the helm of it, so it’s gonna be great.

Franco Premiering Two Movies At Sundance Is “Amazing & Overwhelming”

He Also Would “Love More Than Anything” To Team With Jamie Foxx For Day Shift 2

ScreenRant: It’s amazing you have two movies this year at Sundance, that’s certainly a rare occurrence. How does it feel for you to be able to show two vastly different movies this year?

Dave Franco: Yeah, it’s amazing and overwhelming. But, I’m so, so excited and truly, mainly, proud of my directors, who are both first timers and are both the sweetest guys and just have worked their a– off. And I can’t wait for them to see their movies at the Eccles with a thousand people in the audience.

One other quick question, last we spoke was for Day Shift. I was the one who was pulling movies off the shelf at your request, I pulled out Scream 4, and we got upset Alison wasn’t on the cover.

Dave Franco: I was just, on the ride here with Alison, talking about Scream 4! [Laughs]

That is so funny, I love that full circle for us! I’m still hopeful that you guys will get a Day Shift 2. Have you heard any rumblings about that happening yet?

Dave Franco: There’s whispers, there’s whispers. We’ll see. I’m not holding my breath, but I would love more than anything to reunite with Jamie Foxx. He is the most fun, incredible acting partner in the world.

Twohy Turned To His Cast & Crew To “Help Find That Tone” Of The Film

“…that’s what doesn’t exist on the page…”

ScreenRant: I already love the concept of Bubble & Squeak. It feels like the perfect mix of absurdist humor, but also a very moving drama. What is that like from the writing side of things, really finding that balance?

Evan Twohy: Yeah, I think of myself as a writer. It’s funny, I’m still stepping into the director role. Finding that balance, it’s tough. The beauty of directing is that there’s so many tools and so many people to help find that tone. It’s not just you in a little coffee shop writing the screenplay. So to be able to ground it with the cinematographer, and then realize it’s too grounded and be able to pull that needle back through the music later, you have so many people, so many stops along the way to help get that needle in the right place. So, yeah, tone is such a collaborative thing? Like, that’s what doesn’t exist on the page, so I’m very, very grateful to the collaborators who would do so many drafts to try to find it. Because that’s the trick of this, maybe, is to find that precise spot.

Speaking of collaborators, I feel like Himesh and Sarah have the big responsibility of finding that balance, as well. What was it like really making that search to find the perfect two people to lead your story?

Evan Twohy: I came up through theater, and I’d seen Sarah doing theater, so I always I knew that she was someone who could do this from the minute I met her, but really from before that, from when I’d seen her. Yeah, the trick with them, and finding Himesh, it’s a tricky one, because you almost need an anti-chemistry, because these are two people who do not totally get along. [Chuckles] It’s one thing to cast for chemistry, but to cast for chemistry of people who love each other, but might not see eye-to-eye is really hard. So yeah, I think that the trick for us was to play it ᴅᴇᴀᴅ serious and not lean into comedy, and just find two actors who are two of the best dramatic actors working, who also happen to be funny.

For my final question, what’s the big thing you’re really looking for audiences taking away from this film?

Evan Twohy: Yeah, I guess it speaks to, for me, people taking sort of a circuitous road through life, just like this film sort of took a roundabout route to get made. I think that somewhere in there is a little message about embracing some of the winds along the way. So, I’d love for people to take that away.

Check back soon for more Sundance 2025 interview coverage, including:

• John Lithgow & the Jimpa Cast & Director
• Paradise Man Director Jordan Michael Blake
• Dylan O’Brien & the Twinless Cast & Director
• Brides Director & Stars

Source: ScreenRant Plus