David Leitch wants The Fall Guy to shine a light on one of Hollywood’s most underappreciated professions: stunt performers

The Fall Guy exclusive image
(Image credit: Total Film/Universal Pictures)

David Leitch knows all about stunts. The Fall Guy director cut his teeth in Hollywood as a double for Brad Pitt, before co-directing John Wick, and striking out on his own helming the likes of Atomic Blonde and Bullet Train

His next movie, The Fall Guy starring Ryan Gosling as stuntman Colt Seavers, is aiming to celebrate the art of falling down, getting back up, and generally putting yourself in harm’s way for the audience’s enjoyment – by being as authentic as possible.

“We’re celebrating stunts,” says in the new 2024 preview issue of Total Film, which hits shelves this week. 

“When we’re doing a movie about stunt people in this world of stunts, we just felt we had to be authentic to that, and do it practically.” 

Leitch is hoping that The Fall Guy will give some much-needed kudos to the stunt performers who risk it all to bring action scenes to life on screen. “That was always one of the goals,” the director admits. 

“I think that’s speaking to where we’re headed with the Academy. How can we get stunts recognised? Obviously there’s that, but it’s not about fame and glory and anything like that. They’d love to be able to celebrate with the rest of the below-the-line crew in the joy of making movies.”

The Fall Guy will be released in cinemas on May 3, 2024. For much more on the movie, pick up a copy of the new issue of Total Film when it hits shelves on December 7. Inside, Total Film has a huge 2024 preview breakdown with exclusive insight into all of the biggest releases arriving in the new year. Check out the covers below:

Total Film's 2024 Preview and Review of the Year 2023

(Image credit: Total Film)

That's not all either, our '2023 Review of the Year' supplement is also included, which features our round-up of the best films and TV shows of the year. Pre-order the issue here to bag your copy, or click here to subscribe to Total Film and never miss another exclusive. With our latest offer, you can get a JOBY Magnetic Wireless Charger worth £29.95 when you take out a print subscription.

Total Film's subscriber offer

(Image credit: Total Film/Universal)
Matt Maytum
Editor, Total Film

I'm the Editor at Total Film magazine, overseeing the running of the mag, and generally obsessing over all things Nolan, Kubrick and Pixar. Over the past decade I've worked in various roles for TF online and in print, including at GamesRadar+, and you can often hear me nattering on the Inside Total Film podcast. Bucket-list-ticking career highlights have included reporting from the set of Tenet and Avengers: Infinity War, as well as covering Comic-Con, TIFF and the Sundance Film Festival.

With contributions from
Read more
Josh Hartnett in Fight or Flight
20 years later, Black Hawk Down star Josh Hartnett says new action movie Fight or Flight brings him back to his stunt-sequence heyday
Josh Hartnett in Fight or Flight
Trap star Josh Hartnett campaigned for his character's distinctive blonde hair in new action movie that's basically Bullet Train on a plane
Josh Hartnett in Fight or Flight
Trap star Josh Hartnett's wild new thriller Fight or Flight is designed to be "be an anti John Wick", but with the same killer action
Josh Hartnett in Fight or Flight (2025)
Fight or Flight review: "Slick and silly action sequences garner well-earned John Wick and Bullet train comparisons"
Ke Huy Quan as Marvin Gable in Love Hurts
Loki star Ke Huy Quan passed on new action-comedy Love Hurts twice because he "didn't know why they were reaching out" to him
Ke Huy Quan as Marvin Gable in Love Hurts
New action-comedy Love Hurts might be from John Wick's producers but it's more like Dragons Forever than the Keanu Reeves franchise, says Ke Huy Quan
Latest in Action Movies
Chris Hemsworth's name on the back of a director's chair
Marvel's Avengers: Doomsday cast reveal live blog
The cast of Suicide Squad (2016)
David Ayer admits James Gunn has good reason not to release his cut of Suicide Squad, but he remains hopeful it'll happen
The Fantastic Four: First Steps cast assemble
Fantastic Four star says the Marvel movie "will go down in history" for rejuvenating the MCU, "in the same way the Guardians of the Galaxy and Black Panther hit"
Ben Affleck in Air
Ben Affleck isn't in The Odyssey, but he plans to visit the set anyway to watch Christopher Nolan work: "He's one of the greatest filmmaking architects to ever live"
Ben Affleck in Zack Snyder's Justice League
Ben Affleck reflects on the "excruciating experience" playing Batman in the Zack Snyder movies: "A lot of it was misalignment of agendas, understandings, expectations"
Wanda in Doctor Strange
Scarlet Witch star Elizabeth Olsen is one of the first Marvel actors to say she's not in the next pair of Avengers movies
Latest in News
Lies of P art showing P walking in a snowy forest
Lies of P director loves FromSoftware and respects the Soulslike tag, but says "I'm really serious, I'm not lying, I'm very truthful, our focus is to create our own style of game"
Chris Hemsworth's name on the back of a director's chair
Marvel's Avengers: Doomsday cast reveal live blog
Screenshots from the Alien Evolved Edition TRPG teaser trailer
Alien Evolved Edition TRPG just burst through the million dollar crowdfunding mark with the vigor of a face-hugger on steroids
Halloween director John Carpenter
15 years on from his last horror movie, Halloween's John Carpenter says he'd "love to direct again" – but he has one condition
Lies of P Overture art of P
Lies of P director says Overture DLC is at least 15 to 20 hours long for "experienced" players, packing tons of bosses and ideas the devs couldn't fit at launch
Monster Hunter Wilds screenshot showing a hunter battling a congalala
If you missed the last one, the new Monster Hunter Wilds event quest is another way to stock up on rare ingredients before the big update drops next week