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Bob Odenkirk Action Thriller Normal Begins Streaming on HBO Max

The 91-minute film reunites Odenkirk with Nobody writer Derek Kolstad and pairs him with Kill List director Ben Wheatley.

Bob Odenkirk Action Thriller Normal Begins Streaming on HBO Max
Bob Odenkirk Action Thriller Normal Begins Stream…      Bob Odenkirk    Pixabay (free for editorial use)
By Free News Press Editorial Team
Published August 23, 2026 at 1:24 PM PDT

Bob Odenkirk's new action thriller is now streaming. Normal arrived on HBO Max on August 14 and has begun charting on the platform, according to Collider.

The film brings together several familiar names from the action genre. Derek Kolstad, who wrote Nobody and created the John Wick franchise, wrote the screenplay. Ben Wheatley, who directed Kill List and Free Fire, directed the film. Running at 91 minutes, the movie does not overstay its welcome.

Odenkirk plays Sheriff Ulysses, who takes a provisional posting in a quiet Midwestern town called Normal, hoping for a break from marital troubles and recent hardships on the job. The peace does not last. A botched bank robbery exposes a dark secret, and Ulysses quickly learns that the town is anything but its namesake. Henry Winkler plays the town's mayor.

Odenkirk first broke into action films with Nobody in 2021, which surprised many viewers by turning the Better Call Saul star into a credible action lead. Normal continues that trajectory, reuniting him with Kolstad in a new story and a new setting.

The film represents a notable creative pairing. Wheatley's work on Free Fire demonstrated a talent for contained, chaotic action, and Kolstad has built his reputation on propulsive, character-driven thrillers. Normal puts both of those sensibilities together in a single project.

No release date for a wider theatrical run has been announced. The film is currently available to stream on HBO Max.

Bob Odenkirk    Pixabay (free for editorial use)