The Director’s Cut - A DGA Podcast Good Luck, Have Fun, Don’t Die with Gore Verbinski and Sacha Gervasi (Ep. 602)
Mar 10, 2026
Gore Verbinski, acclaimed director of Pirates of the Caribbean and Rango, chats about making Good Luck, Have Fun, Don't Die and the long road to get it made. He talks tone, balancing apocalyptic stakes with absurdist humor, casting and Sam Rockwell’s scrappy costume, intense diner shooting logistics, and updating the villain into a modern AI.
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Making The Movie Felt Like Building A Suit From Junk
- Gore Verbinski describes struggling to finance the film and ultimately shooting in South Africa to hit budget numbers.
- He built Sam Rockwell's suit from surplus Apex Electronics and Soviet-era detritus as a metaphor for the movie's DIY spirit.
Commit Fully When Resources Are Minimal
- Do commit fully and treat making every film as leaving everything on the field; minimal resources force creativity.
- Verbinski says when resources are tight you accept odd solutions and even borderline 'sock puppets' to get it done.
Rehearse Long Monologues Like Musical Numbers
- Do rehearse complex long sequences like musical choreography and record radio-play versions to lock pacing and beats.
- Verbinski taped off the diner, blocked the 11-page monologue, recorded and re-recorded radio-play tracks with Sam to choreograph movement.