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Timur Bekmambetov: “He’s still the person you can enjoy spending time with — of course, it’s a very different confidence.”
Chris Pratt, in the opinion of director Bekmambetov, has been a star all along. He worked with the 46-year-old actor in 2008’s Wanted and in the upcoming Mercy. At New York Comic Con, Bekmambetov shared with PEOPLE that his experience with Pratt “is still the same” almost two decades later.
“He is still the one with whom you can have a good time,” the Kazakh-Russian director, 64, remarked. “He’s the same one — of course, it’s a very different confidence.”
Bekmambetov: Pratt’s confidence has morphed into a kind of responsibility
Timur Bekmambetov was the one who gave Chris Pratt the part in the 2008 Angelina Jolie led Wanted right before Pratt’s breakout on Parks and Recreation. When he was asked if Pratt is more confident now—after he led the Guardians of the Galaxy and Jurassic World franchises, and voiced characters like Mario and Garfield—Bekmambetov said without a second thought: “He was confident 20 years ago.”
In the opinion of the director, the only difference is that the actor now has a sense of obligation. As a father of four, Pratt “is more mature… He thinks that he carries a certain weight. He is and therefore he must be the one who is responsible for the way he behaves.”
Chris Pratt shifts from Wanted’s annoying co-worker to a high-stakes AI trial in Mercy
On the way of a powerfully unfaithful best friend to a man judged by AI — Pratt adds new seriousness and ‘weight’ to his leading role
In the film Wanted (2008) Pratt was the impulsive co-worker (and unfaithful best friend) of James McAvoy. However, now he stars in Mercy, the Marco van Belle-scripted film coming to cinemas on Jan. 23, 2026. Chris Raven, a detective whose wife was allegedly killed by him, has only 90 minutes to prove his innocence in front of an AI judge (played by Rebecca Ferguson) while he must stay in a chair.
Director Timur Bekmambetov reveals that Pratt came on board with the film because he “likes the story” and he refers to Ferguson as the only artist “as smart and tough and beautiful” who can represent the AI. Besides, Bekmambetov points out Pratt’s transformation during the shooting: he was sure of himself 20 years ago, but now he is a father of four and, hence, he has a bigger sense of responsibility and ‘weight’ in his conduct.”
Bekmambetov brought Pratt and Ferguson back together on Mercy — “an incredible experience”
The director mentions that he produces films in order to be with people he likes; Mercy is going to the cinemas on Jan. 23, 2026, and Pratt has several projects scheduled.
Timur Bekmambetov says the main reason which brought him to re-invite Chris Pratt for Mercy was simply the pleasure of working with people he likes. “It’s just to spend time with the people I like. And it was an incredible experience to be with Chris and Rebecca on set,” he told PEOPLE. The AI courtroom thriller — in which also stars Rebecca Ferguson, Kali Reis, Annabelle Wallis, and Rafi Gavron — is scheduled to hit theaters on Jan. 23, 2026. Besides that, Pratt will be seen in Way of the Warrior Kid (Dec. 25), The Super Mario Galaxy Movie (April 3, 2026), and a sequel to The Garfield Movie.