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Who ever thought a 1970s show about a soft-spoken perm-wearing man painting landscapes while his audience watches along would become such a pop culture phenomenon? Bob Ross has become the unlikely inspiration for anyone with even a minimal interest in art. His positivity and calm nature made him an unlikely but formidable star of public television and later on streaming, which has allowed younger generations to become even bigger fans of the artist. It’s this level of popularity that has spawned a movie loosely based on and satirizing the image of this PBS legend. Paint follows Carl Nargle (played by the iconic Owen Wilson), a fictionalized version of Ross who is contending with new competition. With a star-studded cast and an interesting premise, the movie promises to be one of the films to watch out for in 2023.
And if you're looking for all the details revealed so far about Paint, including plot details, cast announcements, release dates, trailers, and more, then you’ve come to the right place.
Editor's Note: This article was last updated on March 8 with the latest trailer.
When and Where Is Paint Coming Out?
Paint will be released on April 7, 2023. The movie was originally set to be released by IFC Films in theaters on April 28, 2023, but those plans changed, and the date was moved up to the current one. Now the film will still be getting a theatrical release, but we will get to see it earlier than expected. Paint will also be released on the streaming platform AMC+ at a later date in 2023.
Watch the Paint Trailer
A trailer for Paint was released on February 8, 2023. Upon the trailer’s opening, you might assume this to be a prestige film about the nature of art and the life of a selfless man. We hear Carl’s calm narration as he paints and meditates on how mistakes can lead to a beautiful portrait. We see how his small act of creativity and philosophy has brought joy to nearly every person he knows and many, many more. In all, he is a soft-spoken rock star. But that changes pretty soon when we realize this rockstar is no saint. A tortured artist himself, he doesn’t always practice what he preaches and often takes advantage of the devotion that the people, especially women have for him. The film peels away the layers of this Buddha-like figure to reveal a man just as ridiculous as the next.
We got the official trailer for Paint on March 7, which shows more of Carl's life and personality. Check it out below:
What Is the Plot of Paint?
Here's the official synopsis for Paint:
The film centers on Carl Nargle, who has hosted Vermont's number-one painting show for nearly three decades. While Carl's signature whisper has long kept viewers from Pittsfield to St. Albans breathlessly hanging on his every stroke, the station eventually hires a younger, better painter who steals everything (and everyone) Carl loves.
Who's In the Cast of Paint?
The cast of Paint features some of the brightest comedic stars of their generation. Owen Wilson stars as Carl Nargle, the fictional stand-in for Bob Ross. Wilson started his career in the early 90s when he starred in and co-wrote Bottle Rocket, which follows Anthony, a young man recently released from a mental hospital after suffering a nervous breakdown. Wilson plays Dignan, his far less sane friend who hatches a scheme for a crime spree that involves their former boss. The movie was the directorial debut of Wes Anderson and would mark the first of many collaborations between the two industry stalwarts. Wilson would gain mainstream success and attention for his many blockbuster comedies like Zoolander, the oh-so-silly satire on the world of male models, and Wedding Crashers, where he and Vince Vaughn play two divorce mediators who crash weddings as a way to meet and seduce women. He earned critical acclaim as the protagonist in Woody Allen’s Midnight in Paris, in which a struggling screenwriter engaged to a disinterested woman finds inspiration when he time travels to 1920s Paris. More recently, he starred alongside Jennifer Lopez in the romantic comedy Marry Me and is set to star in the adaptation of the famous Disney amusement park ride, Haunted Mansion, alongside Rosario Dawson and Lakeith Stanfield.
Michaela Watkins stars as Katherine. Watkins first rose to prominence when she starred as a featured player on the 34th season of Saturday Night Live. Since then, she has appeared on several television series like Trophy Wife, Enlightened, and Search Party. She has also starred in films like Ibiza, Brittany Runs a Marathon, and The Way Back. Wendi McLendon-Covey stars alongside Watkins as Wendy. McLendon-Covey’s first major role came in 2003 on the improvisational comedy series Reno 911!, which follows the workdays of the most inept cops in Nevada. McLendon-Covey played Deputy Clementine Johnson, a trashy, promiscuous, and very permissive cop. Her most successful film role came in the ensemble comedy Bridesmaids. Since 2013, she has starred in the network sitcom The Goldbergs, where she plays Beverly, the overprotective matriarch.
Ciara Renée stars as Ambrosia Long. Renée is perhaps best known for her work on Broadway., having played the Witch in Big Fish, the Leading Player in Pippin, and Elsa in the Frozen musical. She also joined The CW's Arrowverse in 2015 as Kendra Saunders AKA Hawkgirl, first appearing in The Flash and later in Arrow and Legends of Tomorrow. Stephen Root stars as Tony. Root has been a star of sitcoms since the 1990s when he starred in NewsRadio. He also provided Bill Dauterive's and Buck Strickland's voices on the Fox animated series, King of the Hill. Currently, he stars on Barry as Monroe Fuches, an old friend of Barry’s who groomed him for a career as a hitman after he left the Marines. Apart from these cast members, Paint also stars Lusia Strus, Lucy Freyer, Denny Dillon, Evander Duck Jr., Will Blagrove, and Ryan Czerwonko, among others.
Who Is the Director of Paint?
Paint is directed by Brit McAdams. McAdams has been working in the Hollywood comedy scene for several years and has made an indelible mark. He started his career directing TV shows like Triviatown and Honesty. He followed this up with one of his biggest jobs to date, directing the Katt Williams film Katt Williams: American Hustle, which followed a fictional version of Williams as he takes a trip to Hollywood, where he hopes to break into the film industry. Katt’s dreams are destroyed when he is only cast in increasingly laughable, stereotypical roles, so he decides to put fate into his own hands and set off on a comedy road trip. The film was widely acclaimed and since then, McAdams has worked on Tosh.0, a show similar to The Soup, which satirizes viral internet trends and videos. He has also directed several short films including Stunted and Knork.