Noah Centineo Launches Bold New Production Company with Socially Charged Black Comedy

As a passionate film enthusiast, I must say that Noah Centineo has stolen my heart with his captivating performances on screen. He first caught my attention in the TV show “The Fosters,” but it was his portrayal of Peter Kavinsky in the “To All the Boys I’ve Loved Before” films that won over a whole generation, including myself. More recently, he’s been donning the cape for DC’s “Black Adam” series, and most recently, he’s given a gripping performance in the harrowing true story, “Warfare.

Taking a step into uncharted territory, I found myself in the spotlight of Netflix’s heart-pounding spy series, “The Recruit.” This marked my debut not just onscreen, but off it too, as an executive producer. The behind-the-scenes role was transformative for me, shaping my perspective and enriching my journey as an actor.

Centineo emphasizes to EbMaster during their Zoom call, early on a Friday morning, that it’s crucial to establish a team for any project. Having people with shared visions and suitable skills is essential, he adds, as he shares a wide grin. With Enzo Marc, his partner at Arkhum Productions, also on the line, they founded this production company in 2023.

The company’s name is inspired by Arkham Asylum from Batman comics, and actor Michael Cimino playfully jokes about them both being crazy. They prefer to keep the deeper significance of the name a secret. However, they are willing to share their intentions for the business, as they strive to create a buzz at the Tribeca Festival with their initial feature film, “Our Hero, Balthazar,” which premieres on Sunday.

Under the direction and screenplay of Oscar Boyson, this film is a satirical take on a wealthy New York City teenager named Balthazar “Balthy” Malone (portrayed by Jaeden Martell). He creates sensational videos for social media, advocating for stricter gun laws. However, his commitment to the cause is questionable; it’s more about seeking attention, particularly from a fellow student who’s deeply invested in activism. An unexpected turn of events occurs when Balthy encounters an online antagonist (Asa Butterfield) who threatens a school shooting. Intrigued and concerned, Balthy decides to travel to Texas to dissuade him. However, upon their meeting, both boys, influenced by the contagion of violence and the allure of attention, are unable to predict how their encounter will eventually escalate.

Centineo plays a minor character in the movie as Balthy’s life coach, but he initially joined the production as a producer. Their primary goals were to secure funding, assemble the cast, and offer on-site assistance if necessary. “We were ready to help wherever we could,” Centineo explains. “This project aligned perfectly with what we aimed to produce under our own banner.

At Arkhum, Centineo shares, they’re committed to creating films that narrate unique stories while subtly addressing social issues. For instance, one movie that resonated with him and Marc was “Wind River” (2017), a modern western crime thriller by Taylor Sheridan, which brought attention to the crisis of missing and murdered Indigenous women and girls.

Marc expresses, “We aim to create the films that appeal to us.” He also mentions his preference for movies that convey a message beyond mere amusement. Centineo agrees, stating that art should reflect the era we’re living in. In his view, artists have the responsibility to authentically portray the world, its culture, the people, and how it’s evolving.

I’ve been delving into countless screenplays, as Marc puts it, “we don’t focus on evaluations, but rather invest significant time in reading through everything thoroughly.” This diligent approach helps us curate a varied portfolio of projects that resonates with our mission.

Centineo expresses his delight as he witnesses the functioning of the machine they’ve been constructing together, which is now picking up speed and making progress. He finds this development thrilling.

Marc adds: “After years of fielding and developing, it’s nice to see cameras finally rolling.”

What do you imagine it will be like to see “Arkhum Productions” on the big screen?

As for me, it’s an incredibly fulfilling experience to witness this. I can’t wait to feel the rush and be inspired. This moment has been a long-awaited one.

Enzo Marc: It’s surreal to see the fruits of our labor in a finished form.

How did you come on board “Our Hero, Balthazar?”

Marc: We recently watched Oscar’s short film “Power Signal,” which was screened at Sundance, and it truly caught our attention. Not long after that, Oscar’s manager unexpectedly emailed us with the script for “Balthazar.” We were relaxing in our backyard at the time, and I remember exclaiming out loud when I started reading it. I thought to myself, “Wow, this script is amazing!

What part made you scream?

Marc: At first, we see the main character shedding tears, but in the next instant, he transitions from emotional sobbing towards the camera to a chilling and strategic demeanor. This sudden shift left me feeling unsettled.

Centineo: He audibly yelped, and I went, “What happened?” He goes, “You have to read the script.”

Did you yelp too?

Immediately, I grabbed my phone and unlocked it. With about ten feet separating us, we were both engrossed in our reading material. Since he was roughly ten pages further along, we exchanged audible sounds of anticipation.

Immediately afterwards, we encountered Oscar at a restaurant in New York City, marking the beginning of our official association. In essence, this process spanned nearly nine months.

Centineo: It was incredibly thrilling. The movies that Oscar has produced so far [“Uncut Gems,” “Good Time,” “Frances Ha”] are among our all-time favorites and truly iconic, I must say. We were eager to contribute to his directorial debut.

The aim of your company is films that push boundaries and have an element of social commentary to them. When did you realize “Our Hero, Balthazar” fit that bill?

Centineo’s original statement: We were drawn to the first page featuring a 16-year-old boy, who appeared both young and mature, shedding crocodile tears and fixated on virtue signaling. In today’s world of social media, where we strive for political and social activity yet may feel disconnected, this can sometimes offer an opportunity to present idealized versions of ourselves, even when we’re not living up to them. This immediately struck us as relevant and modern, something we wanted to be a part of. The film’s themes resonated early with us, closely matching our values at Arkhum.

We found the initial scene depicting a 16-year-old character who seemed both young and mature, showing signs of insincere tears and preoccupation with self-promotion, to be particularly relatable in today’s social media-driven society where people often present idealized versions of themselves. This instantaneously felt contemporary and something we wanted to engage with. The film’s underlying messages mirrored our values at Arkhum quite early on.

How is your slate shaping up from here?

Marc: Since our project “Balthazar,” Noah has wrapped up filming a movie titled “Union County” in Ohio.

Centineo shares that the production is a collaboration with Seaview Productions, helmed by Brad Becker-Parton and Faye Tsakas. The movie, titled “[about a young man in rural Ohio navigating a drug court recovery program and the return of his ex-girlfriend],” is penned and directed by Adam Meeks, marking his debut as a feature film director. Will Poulter takes the lead role, with Centineo himself having a supporting part. Upon learning about this project, it resonated strongly with their goals, so they were determined to help bring it to fruition. Centineo expresses great affection for the film.

In the pipeline is the movie “Meta,” an intriguing animated short featuring a solitary photographer who forges an unforeseen bond with an AI. In this production, it’s Noah who takes the lead role. What made this project particularly noteworthy?

Centineo expresses his enthusiasm for discovering various artists on Instagram, particularly animation and visual artists using diverse mediums. One such artist, Bozo Balov from Croatia, caught his attention with his unique short-animated videos. He found himself frequently exclaiming, “Wow, this kid is talented!” Every few weeks, he would share these discoveries with Enzo, encouraging him to take notice. Enzo, being straightforward, suggested they contact the artist and propose a film collaboration. Although Centineo isn’t as direct-thinking as Enzo, he eventually reached out to Bozo, who was working on a short film titled “We” with Prime Render and Sacrebleu. They were eager to join the project once they received the script from Bozo.

As a movie critic, I recently had the opportunity to watch “Listen,” a chilling thriller penned and directed by the talented Brian Birch. This gripping film was brought to life under the production banner of none other than Will Smith’s esteemed company, Westbrook.

Centineo: I was working on the second season of “The Recruit” in South Korea when Enzo and I decided to leave about a fortnight early for some meetings. We connected with Bound Entertainment, an exceptional production company known for hits like “Okja” and “Parasite”, as well as Samuel Ha. After chatting with Sam for a couple of hours about our company, he introduced “Listen” to us. This concept was outside of the genres we’d previously explored, but its appeal was undeniable, and we knew right away that we wanted to be part of it.

What is the biggest challenge in finding financing and getting productions off the ground? What struggles did you run up against making movies like “Balthazar” and “Union County?”

Marc: Funding independent movies is quite challenging, as was the case with “Balthazar,” and generally speaking, it’s quite an achievement to secure financing. We are fortunate to have some exceptional actors on board for our films, but even so, the process can remain challenging.

With “Balthazar,” the subject matter is tricky. It’s dealing with the very real issue of gun violence while also having a hint of comedy. What did it take to get financiers involved?

As a movie enthusiast, I’m constantly on the hunt for those who share the same passion for films as I do and are willing to invest in the narratives that resonate with them. It’s a bit like dating, but instead of finding love, I’m searching for allies who can bring these stories to life. I sift through every possible opportunity to connect with the right people.

Making indie films often requires millions of dollars, except for small-scale projects like those costing $50,000 or $300,000. While these are achievable, they’re incredibly challenging. In fact, every aspect of making an indie film is tough. The challenge lies in convincing a major financier to invest in a project when the proposal involves a budget of $7 million for an independent film, especially one led by a first-time or emerging filmmaker dealing with intense and niche subject matter. Their primary concern will be how they can recoup their investment and attract a large audience to watch the movie.

As filmmakers, we might argue that it’s essential, powerful, and has the potential to resonate with the cultural mood (zeitgeist). However, proving this and demonstrating its commercial viability is a challenge. It requires a strong belief in the project, which is subjective and depends on finding the right individuals who recognize its value.

Our aim has been to seek out films with production costs below $5 million, cast them with talented actors who genuinely appreciate and are passionate about the projects, and who are prepared to go the extra mile for them. We then do our utmost to persuade potential collaborators who share our vision.

What do you see as the future for Arkhum?

Marc: In the upcoming era, we aspire to be the primary destination for emerging filmmakers. Our relationship with them is strong and familiar, leading them to choose us first. We produce movies that stimulate thought and encourage viewers to contemplate a variety of perspectives.

Centineo: Ditto.

This interview has been edited and condensed for length and clarity.

2025-06-08 23:18