Overview
Donald Glover's filmography is expanding, as is his directorial resume as well. The next time that he graces a movie, the star also known as Childish Gambino play a hit musician on-screen, in a flick that he's helming himself. If it seems like art imitating life, however, we're betting that IRL Glover — whether or not he's in his Gambino guise — hasn't found himself on an island teeming with greenery, largely devoid of people and also home to giant animals.
In the just-dropped trailer for Bando Stone & the New World, Glover is the film's namesake — "the singer: 'Starlight', 'Let's Make It Happen', 'Party Monkey'," he tells a woman (Jessica Allain, The Continental: From the World of John Wick) pointing a gun his way when they cross paths in a convenience store. She doesn't know who he is, has a kid in tow and is on a mission to get to the other side of the island. But they can only move during the daytime, because at night is "when everything comes out".
By everything, the movie means a massive boar, octopus and flock of flightless birds, plus glowing laser netting and structures — all of which Bando is ill-equipped for. "Can you shoot? Can you hunt? Do you know how to fish? Do you know how to set a trap?" he's asked. His reply: "I can sing".
Bando Stone & the New World will mark Glover's feature directorial debut, after helming a short film as Childish Gambino, his own music videos, and episodes of both Atlanta and Swarm. The script comes courtesy of Evi Wilder, while Glover's frequent collaborator Hiro Murai — who has directed a heap of his music videos as well, plus 26 Atlanta instalments, two episodes of the 2024 Mr & Mrs Smith series and 2019 movie Guava Island — is an executive producer. As for the soundtrack, that's unsurprisingly springing from Gambino.
Exactly when the film will drop, other than 2024, hasn't been revealed — and nor has any Down Under release plans. It's headed for big screens in the US, though, with the trailer announcing that it's an exclusive IMAX event.
Whether audiences in Australia and New Zealand will get to see Bando Stone & the New World before Childish Gambino brings his latest tour this way in 2025 also hasn't been advised so far.
Check out the trailer for Bando Stone & The New World below:
Bando Stone & the New World doesn't yet have a release date, other than 2024 — we'll update you when more details are announced.