3 Small Details You May Have Missed In The Tony Movie Trailer

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More legend than human being, Anthony Bourdain remains a cultural force even years after his untimely death. With the upcoming release of "Tony," A24's biopic about the beginnings of the chef and writer, Bourdain fans will get a more intimate look at the icon. While the chef faced his share of struggles in life, from drug addiction to mental health issues, the film focuses on more hopeful years. In the trailer, we see a young Bourdain (Dominic Sessa) secure his first job in a restaurant under a talented chef (Antonio Banderas) while courting his high school sweetheart and soon-to-be-wife (Emilia Jones).

We're as excited as anyone else for this biopic, and as a result, we may have watched the trailer an obscene number of times. In the course of our viewing, we spied some details that are packed with meaning — if you're willing to do a little digging. These include a reference to Bourdain's TV work and a nod to one of his favorite foods. There's also a blink-and-you'll-miss-it movie reference that foreshadows a darker time in the chef's life. Bourdain was a complicated but beloved guy, and we're looking forward to spending some time in his shoes when "Tony" debuts in August 2026.

The "Tony" trailer portrays Anthony Bourdain as a rather fiery young man. In one scene, the chef punches his bedroom wall after receiving some bad news. While the scene's focus is Bourdain and the "Enter the Dragon" poster he's pummeling (a brief moment of recognition for the legendary Bruce Lee), the adjacent poster is what caught our eye. It shows the New York Dolls performing, with lead singer David Johansen front and center. In case you're not a rock historian (or 10,000 years old), allow us to explain.

The New York Dolls were a glam rock/proto-punk band that made a splash in '70s-era New York City. Known for their flamboyant dress sense and unadulterated sound, the band typified the rawness and sensibilities of the city at the time, and they also left a big impression on one Mr. Anthony Bourdain. Years later, the TV host enlisted Johansen to show him around the singer's home base of Staten Island, New York on a 2009 episode of "No Reservations." During the segment, Bourdain accompanies Johansen to both a Sri Lankan restaurant and a tiki bar.

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Even the greats had to start somewhere, including Anthony Bourdain. In "Tony," the chef's first mentor shows him the proper way to open and shuck an oyster, and the teaching moment carries a lot more meaning than might be immediately evident. While it's crucial that chefs use the right techniques when dealing with oysters, the food also held an important place in Bourdain's personal life.

In "Kitchen Confidential," the 2000 memoir that kickstarted the chef's public persona, Bourdain shared an anecdote about his first time eating an oyster in France (Bourdain's father was French, and the family spent time there during the chef's childhood). He described the event as "the proudest moment of my young life" and wrote, "Everything was different now. Everything. I'd not only survived — I'd enjoyed." Bourdain expressed a similar passion for the food — and life in general — in 2001's "A Cook's Tour: Global Adventures in Extreme Cuisines." The author wrote, "I blame my first oyster for everything I did after: my decision to become a chef, my thrill-seeking, all my hideous screwups in pursuit of pleasure. I blame it all on that oyster. In a nice way, of course."

Though the upcoming "Tony" biopic focuses on Anthony Bourdain's early years, the trailer features a subtle nod to the mental strife he experienced later in life. In the clip, Bourdain cycles past a drive-in marquee alongside a friend. Two movies are listed: the 1975 blockbuster "Jaws" and a lesser-known movie called "Violent City," a 1970 Italian crime drama about a man seeking revenge after his lover wrongs him. The second film is the one that holds relevance.

Bourdain took his own life in 2018, just weeks before his 62^nd birthday. A New Yorker review of 2021's "Roadrunner: A Film About Anthony Bourdain" raised a curious detail about the chef's final hours. Filmmaker and friend Helen Cho said that Bourdain's last Instagram post featured the "Violent City" soundtrack. This mirrors claims that relationship issues between Bourdain and then-girlfriend Asia Argento (actress and daughter of acclaimed Italian filmmaker Dario Argento) played a role in the chef's death.

It's tempting to place blame after a tragic loss, but there's always more to the story. Bourdain famously struggled with mental health and addiction issues for much of his life. While he was able to overcome many obstacles and realize his dreams, he was still subject to the same insecurities and vulnerabilities as the rest of us.