DADDIO Trailer (2024) Dakota Johnson, Sean Penn

DADDIO Trailer (2024) Dakota Johnson, Sean PennShow more

DADDIO Trailer (2024) Dakota Johnson, Sean Penn
© 2024 - Sony Pictures

Daddio stars Dakota Johnson and Sean Penn and is set in a New York City cab. Watch the trailer below.
The film uses cutting-edge Volume technology from The Mandalorian.
Johnson and Penn serve as producers on the film, putting their faith in director Christy Hall.
Sony Pictures Classics has just dropped the trailer for Daddio, the latest film featuring Dakota Johnson and hopefully, for the star, this one will be better received than her current cinematic outing, Madame Web. The film, which made its bow at last year's Toronto International Film Festival, tells the story of a life-altering taxi ride from New York's John F. Kennedy Airport into the heart of Manhattan. Johnson is the passenger, while Sean Penn drives the cab in the feature-length directorial debut of writer and filmmaker Christy Hall.

Notably, the movie is also the first grounded drama to make use of The Mandalorian's "Volume" technology — by employing a sound stage with drive footage projected onto the screen. The cab was surrounded by high-resolution LED panels, using anamorphic lenses that were de-tuned for a vintage look, which added an air of authenticity to the film's final product.

The film is a two-hander, with Johnson and Penn the only cast members involved, giving the film an air of theatricality, and there's clearly a huge level of nuanced acting going on within that tight space of an iconic yellow cab. Indeed, Penn was quoted as saying — via Hall, last year — that the film made him want to tread the boards and take to the stage once again.“They really delivered the play because they’re both theater people,” Hall explained, “Sean’s been on Broadway; he worked with Sam Shepherd for many years, originating a lot of his work in San Francisco. Dakota did theater before she became the glorious movie star that she is. So we just kind of treated it like a play.”

Dakota Johnson and Sean Penn Serve as Producers on 'Daddio'
daddio-dakota-johnson-featuredImage via TIFF
Hall told Collider’s Perri Nemiroff last year that both Penn and Johnson were pivotal allies to have in her corner, not just as stars, but also as producers on the project, putting their faith in her as the correct person to lead the film despite her cinematic inexperience.

“This being my first feature, I’ve raised my hand for a few of my scripts and I, a lot of times, was told no. I really needed people to surround me, and Sean and Dakota, they put their faith in me, they put their faith in this script, and they said, ‘No, Christy is the one to direct this, and we’re going to help her push this boulder up the mountain.’”

Daddio will be released in theaters sometime this summer. Watch the new trailer below.

Premiering at the Telluride Film Festival last year, “Daddio” seemingly came out of nowhere with a starry cast and a minimalist logline. Starring Dakota Johnson and Sean Penn, the film is essentially just a two-hander set in a taxi cab, where a driver (Penn) and the rider (Johnson) basically strike up a long and provocative conversation about life, politics, and their outlooks on the world.

Directed by Christy Hall, who co-created the series “I Am Not Okay With This” and makes her directorial debut with “Daddio,” the film is a very stripped-down, minimalist affair that relies on the charm and talents of its two lead actors.

READ MORE: ‘Daddio’ Review: Dakota Johnson & Sean Penn Shine in Christy Hall’s Schematic But Affecting Drama [TIFF]

Our review from TIFF praised the two actors, the design of the film, the writing, and its ability to sustain itself despite the super spare concept.

“Hall’s writing is so insightful,” our reviewer wrote. “There’s a well-observed authenticity to these characters, and she gets all the logistical and geographic details right.. Johnson and Penn’s connection is genuine, and there’s an awful lot to like here.”

Here’s the official synopsis:

New York City. JFK airport. A young woman jumps into the backseat of a yellow taxi, the cabbie throws the vehicle into drive as the two head out into the night toward Manhattan, striking up the most unexpected conversation resulting in a single, epic, remarkable journey.

“Daddio” has no release date yet, but Sony Pictures Classics snatched up rights to the picture late last year. The new teaser trailer gives a small taste of what the picture has in store and promises a summer release. Watch the new trailer below.