your news site for matt johnson and jay mccarrol

Journalism 101

How Jay McCarrol crafted the score for the new Anthony Bourdain biopic

2026-08-13 | CBC Music

Similar article from the Toronto Star.

McCarrol says the experience exposed him to a more regulated production environment, with stricter rules around unions, actors and what filmmakers can do on set.

“I think where the movie started to really come alive is when Matt returned to Canada, and all of us at Zapruder got to weigh in and watch it and discuss how to support certain sections, fix certain sections,” said McCarrol. “It’s a very collaborative process.”

Canadian Matt Johnson gets taste of Hollywood with Anthony Bourdain biopic Tony

2026-08-11 | The Globe and Mail

“Within 30 minutes, I was like, ‘Dom, we’re going to make this movie about Anthony Bourdain.’ It was us getting excited about exactly the things you see in the movie,” Johnson recalls. “A young man lying to create status. What’s it like to have all your self-worth tied up in how women see you. The power of homosocial relationships as a developmental tool. And then my job was to bring Bourdain into this conspiracy and read everything that he’d written and go, ‘Okay, let’s see where you agree with us.’”

Tony Director Matt Johnson on Telling Young Anthony Bourdain’s Story, Internet Fandom, and Why He’s Always Wearing Those Sweatpants

Also on GQ UK.

In the wake of his two buzzy 2026 movies, Johnson is staying busy. He directed comedian and Tony actor Stavros Halkias’s upcoming Netflix special Uncle Stav. He’s developing a Toronto crime movie starring Finn Wolfhard for Neon, as well as a TSA comedy with Josh Safdie for A24. And he’s currently hard at work on a live-action Magic: The Gathering feature, while also chasing down a green light for the long-awaited third season of Nirvanna the Band the Show.

Matt Johnson and Jay McCarrol of Nirvanna the Band Made a Surprise Appearance at Finn Wolfhard’s Sold-Out Toronto Show

2026-07-27 | Billboard Canada

Johnson took the stage first, thanking the crowd, who were cheering loudly. After introducing himself as Matt, he told the crowd that he worked for Live Nation and “had some kind of bad news.” According to Johnson, Wolfhard’s band wouldn’t be able to take the stage, but Wolfhard himself would still be there and play some music for the attendees.

Instead, he brought out McCarrol, in his Fire from the Hip attire, which elicited many screams from the audience. “Hi everyone, I’m Finn,” he said. The comedic pair launched into a back-and-forth before Johnson asked a key question. “Is there anything you want to see before you leave Toronto?”

Neon Re-teams With ‘Nirvanna the Band the Show the Movie’ Director Matt Johnson on New Movie

2026-05-11 | The Hollywood Reporter

The story is inspired by true events that saw a Vice Canada editor recruit drug mules for an international cocaine smuggling operation, including out of the media giant’s offices. Wolfhard will play the Canadian investigative journalist who helped break the story.

Powered by WordPress & Theme by Anders Norén & Tweaked by Update Day. 2026.