‘Good Luck, Have Fun, Don’t Die’ First Reactions Praise Sam Rockwell and Gore Verbinski

After nearly a decade, filmmaker Gore Verbinski has returned with a new feature film. Titled Good Luck, Have Fun, Don’t Die, the science-fiction movie first premiered at the Fantastic Fest film festival in 2025, where it was met with positive buzz and helped to generate excitement for the movie ahead of its wide release date. Now, more audiences and press have had a chance to see the movie, with new reactions dropping online for the film, which is led by Sam Rockwell in what looks to be an eccentric and hilarious performance.

Filmmaker Chris Gore posted his reaction to the film on X, calling it “the best comedy of the year,” a bold claim, especially since it is only the beginning of the year. Telling people not to miss it, Gore would also call Good Luck, Have Fun, Don’t Die “the most culturally significant sci-fi action comedy ever made.” The trailers for the film have teased the premise surrounding time travel and the inevitable takeover of Artificial Intelligence, a topic that has become more culturally relevant than ever before. The use of AI in film has been an especially large talking point, so seeing a movie that could address this subject in a hilarious way is exciting.

Theo Marshall on X would praise Sam Rockwell’s performance, calling him a “force” in the film that makes the story even better. Verbinski seems to have not lost any of his style in the nine years between films, as Good Luck, Have Fun, Don’t Die has been praised for its high-concept thrills and satirical nature. The movie also looks like a departure from his more typical adventure films, as Verbinski is best known for the Pirates of the Caribbean films that he directed. With an anti-AI message, it seems that the timely themes of the movie will be its biggest talking point, aside from the great performances and cyberpunk aesthetic.

‘Good Luck, Have Fun, Don’t Die’ Is a Return to Form for Gore Verbinski

User 8BitBlood on X also described how much they were looking forward to the movie based on its concept alone, saying, “When you hear that Gore Verbinski is back with a time-traveling, anti-AI apocalypse film starring Sam Rockwell going full bonkers mode, you don’t ask questions.” The last film that Verbinski had directed was the psychological horror film A Cure for Wellness in 2016, and The Lone Ranger before that in 2013. The filmmaker has shifted across genres and budgets, making Good Luck, Have Fun, Don’t Die a refreshing change of pace for him, especially since speculation around the budget has indicated it is smaller than the vast amounts he has worked with in the past.

With a 94% rating on the review aggregate website Rotten Tomatoes based on 18 reviews, Good Luck, Have Fun, Don’t Die looks to be a return to form for Verbinski, as his A Cure for Wellness received a 42% rotten rating based on 210 reviews. However, the movie isn’t “Certified Fresh” yet, so it will be interesting to see what other critics have to say outside the Fantastic Fest premiere audience. The movie currently has a release date of Jan. 30, with a wider release scheduled for Feb. 13.