‘Heads of State’ Director Ilya Naishuller on Star Power and Finding the Sweet Spot Between Action and Comedy

Filmmaker Ilya Naishuller knows a thing or two about crafting action. His debut film Hardcore Henry (2015) is designed to emulate a first-person shooter video game, both visually and narratively. And it delivers.

With his sophomore feature, Nobody (2021), he reshaped stardom. Bob Odenkirk (Breaking Bad, Better Call Saul) was an actor celebrated for his dramatic and comedic skills. He’s now a bona fide action star following Naishuller’s John Wick-style flick about a government-trained killer living a life of domesticity who’s itching to get back to the bone-breaking game.

His latest is Amazon Prime Video’s action-comedy Heads of State, which is fronted by not one but three movie stars. When bickering UK Prime Minister Sam Clarke (Idris Elba) and Hollywood-star-turned-US-President Will Derringer (John Cena) survive an assassination attempt, the pair are forced to team up — with the help of rogue MI6 agent Noel Bisset (Priyanka Chopra Jonas) — to uncover a global conspiracy and save the free world.

During the film's junket in London, Naishuller spoke to The Hollywood Reporter India about the new film, playing with stardom and his advice to young filmmakers.

Edited Excerpts:

Ilya Naishuller, Priyanka Chopra Jonas, John Cena for 'Heads of State'Prime Video

I want to start with the delicate action-comedy balance. This is your first PG-13 film. Your previous films Hardcore Henry and Nobody were brutally violent action films. But this is also your first comedy. What goes into finding that balance where the comedy and action don’t take away from each other but complement each other?

I think it all starts with the script. We had great writers which makes things easier. Having John Cena, Idris Elba, Priyanka Chopra Jonas, Jack Quaid, and the rest of the supporting cast definitely makes things easier. But ultimately, the most important part of filmmaking takes place in my head when I’m sitting at home, listening to music, working on the storyboards, working through the beats of the film in my head. That’s where I’m finding the tone. I just imagine the movie and the points where I need more action or comedy to get the rollercoaster experience I’m trying to provide.

So you’re going with your gut in finding that ideal tone?

Yeah, for sure, there is no such equation. If there was, then everyone would be doing it.

I also want to ask you about the art of presenting stars. With Nobody, you completely reinvented how the world sees Bob Odenkirk, who’s now this bona fide action star. And in this film, you’re working with not one but three movie stars. What were those calculations like? The reason I ask is that within mainstream Indian cinema, playing with and presenting stardom is a major part of our DNA.

Well, originally this was an action thriller — that's how it was pitched to me. And I said, “No, this is an action comedy. I think the president shouldn't be an ex-military but an ex-Hollywood star” to bring the comedic perspective. It just made sense because we had John Cena. To have John Cena and not use the comedic powers of John Cena is a crime against cinema. So, I didn't want him to be capable at first. I wanted him to earn that capability. I wanted Idris to be more capable. But they both keep stumbling and making mistakes. That to me is so much more fun. I wanted a guy who would mess up, get up, dust himself off, and keep going, rather than a guy who takes people down like a knife through butter. I was more into the John McClane (from Die Hard) kind of action star, where “it hurts, but I have to keep going.”

You’ve also talked a lot about storyboarding and said it’s the toughest and most important part of the process for you, on par with writing. I'm curious, is that just because you’ve made action films? Would you do the same for an intimate drama or a romcom, for example? And is storyboarding something you advise all young filmmakers to take up?

There are many directors that I love who do things in very different ways. The truth is, you have to find what works for you. You don't need to storyboard religiously to make a good movie, but it helps to make your own rules and have a blueprint. It’s okay if you break them, or deviate or go with someone else’s idea on the day. All sorts of things will happen. But it's a foundation. It’s like a graphic novel. It’s much easier to show people and say, “that’s what we’re doing”. For example, I showed Jack Quaid the storyboard instead of the script. When he arrived on set, he looked at it and said, “Okay, great,” and we were immediately on the same page. And of course, an actor will make it better on the day, but even if they don't, we’re good. Even if I were making an intimate drama, I’d storyboard.

And my advice to anyone who wants to make a film is: just go shoot. Take your phone and just go shoot. It's a muscle, and you have to understand the set, how to talk to actors, and how to explain ideas as quickly and efficiently as possible.