Bullet Train brings together seven characters, all with connected, conflicting, and at times, confusing objectives. “Fate brings these people onto this train, and their energies combine in the craziest, most gonzo way possible,” says producer Kelly McCormick.
The Twins, Tangerine (Taylor-Johnson) and Lemon (Henry), aren’t actually twins. (No kiddin’.) In fact, though they are seemingly a disparate pair, they are lifelong brothers in arms. Tangerine is a Savile Row-suited killer with slicked back hair and flashy gold jewelry – not exactly subtle. Lemon, meanwhile, possesses a guileless demeanor and moral compass that he has honed entirely from the lessons from “Thomas the Tank Engine” – but he is nevertheless just as talented a hitman as his twin.
Taylor-Johnson and Henry say that their offscreen chemistry drove the onscreen relationship (and vice versa). “Tangerine and Lemon go hand in hand and really rely on each other,” says Taylor-Johnson. “There’s a love between them, a deeply rooted partnership that goes back years and years. That kind of bond needs to be supported by an instant connection and chemistry for us both, and Brian brought the energy, fire, and passion every day. I fed off of his energy, bounced off of his enthusiasm and his charisma. He’s one of the best actors around, without a doubt.”
Henry, well-known for his roles in The Eternals and Atlanta, says he was able to tap into the fun odd-couple nature of their characters’ pairing. “Lemon is incredibly genuine. He is the most genuine, childlike, joyous psychopath you’ll ever meet in your life,” Henry says. “He enters a room and you can’t miss him, but at the same time, he has a real ease about him. That’s why pairing him with Aaron’s Tangerine is so perfect. Tangerine is crazy, and there’s a finesse that Aaron has when he steps into the role. He’s that fine wine of sociopaths. The two of us together is so eclectic and fun and we’re just the oddest pairing, but at the same time, it works so well.”
About Bullet Train
In Bullet Train, Brad Pitt stars as Ladybug, an unlucky assassin determined to do his job peacefully after one too many gigs gone off the rails. Fate, however, may have other plans, as Ladybug’s latest mission puts him on a collision course with lethal adversaries from around the globe – all with connected, yet conflicting, objectives – on the world’s fastest train…and he’s got to figure out how to get off. From the director of Deadpool 2, David Leitch, the end of the line is only the beginning in a wild, non-stop thrill ride through modern-day Japan.
Directed by David Leitch, screenplay by Zak Olkewicz based upon the book Maria Beetle by Kotaro Isaka. The cast is led by Brad Pitt, Joey King, Aaron Taylor-Johnson, Brian Tyree Henry, Andrew Koji, Hiroyuki Sanada, Michael Shannon, Benito A Martínez Ocasio.
Bullet Train is distributed by Columbia Pictures, local office of Sony Pictures Releasing International. Connect with the hashtag #BulletTrainMovie
