Did you invent an iconic product in the ’80s and ’90s? Does your product have a wild story behind it, interesting characters, and a ripped-from-the-headlines tone? Then you’re about to get a movie version! At least, that’s how it feels these days, between “Air,” “Tetris,” “BlackBerry,” and now Kristin Gore and Damian Kulash’s “The Beanie Bubble.”
The latest feature in this burgeoning sub-genre follows the making (and, in many ways, un-making) of the world’s mid-’90s obsession with Ty, Inc.’s adorable (and very collectible) Beanie Babies. It stars Zach Galifianakis as stuffed animal impresario Ty Warner, along with Geraldine Viswanathan, Elizabeth Banks, and Sarah Snook as three key women in his life that really helped make the tiny toys such a massive hit.
Case in point: Viswanathan’s character’s idea to craft a Ty, Inc.-backed webpage for the Beanie Baby faithful, a savvy bit of marketing that forever changed the trajectory of both the toys and the way brands communicate on the World Wide Web. Take a look at the scene, available exclusively on IndieWire, above.
“This is one of the scenes that really made me excited about doing the movie, firstly, because teaching Zach Galifianakis how to use the internet just felt so epic,” Viswanathan told IndieWire during a recent interview. “To get to time travel to a time where I had to convince someone that the internet had the potential to be a big deal, [that] was really cool and fun to imagine that scenario. I’m a mid-’90s kid, so I’m a little behind this, but to get to experience the dial-up and the web pages was so interesting. Also, I think it’s one of the more funny scenes in the movie, so I appreciate it on many levels.”
The scene also provides a closer look at Galifianakis’ turn as Warner, a darker and more complicated role than most audiences have previously seen the actor in. Much of Gore and Kulash’s film focuses on dismantling the mythos around Warner, initially viewed as the genius and mastermind behind the insane success of the Beanie Baby line, but someone who really relied on the work of others to bolster his business.
“It’s such a different thing for Zach, I think everyone’s pretty confused by him without a beard,” Viswanathan said. “When you think of Zach Galifianakis, it’s a very clear image that comes to mind, and a very clear tone and style. He’s such a comedic genius, so I think casting him in this role was so smart because you’re so disarmed by him. He’s so charming and the character needed to be [too]. You’re getting to see him transformed and tapping into darker parts of himself. And you’re confused. Are you rooting for him? Are you not?”
“The Beanie Bubble” will premiere in select theaters on July 21 and globally on Apple TV+ on July 28. Check out IndieWire’s exclusive clip above, and stay tuned for more from our interview with Viswanathan.
