Spoiler alert: This article contains details about the plot and ending of “Carry-On,” now streaming on Netflix.
In Carry-On, Sofia Carson plays Nora, the pregnant girlfriend of Ethan (Taron Egerton), a TSA agent at Los Angeles International Airport who is blackmailed into participating in a plot to shoot down a plane containing chemical weapons hidden in its luggage. Travel luggage.
Nora also works at the airport and the blackmailer (Jason Bateman) threatens to kill her if Ethan doesn’t do what he says.
Carson received the script after the romantic drama “Purple Hearts” became a hit on Netflix in 2022. “I remember reading the headline that was ‘Carry-On, Action, Thriller, Starring Taron Egerton and Jason Bateman as Villain.’” At LAX, produced by Amblin and Steven Spielberg,” she told me on the latest episode of the “Just for Variety” radio show. “And then in quotes, or in parentheses, was the phrase ‘Die “Hard”. I was saying: Don’t say more, don’t say more.
This is the ultimate movie of what you’re going to do.
It is an exceptional circumstance. It’s an impossible situation for me to be in. I’d like to say I’d do everything Ethan did, but God, what a terrifying place to be.
Is ‘Carry-On’ a Christmas movie?
It’s everything you want it to be for yourself. And I think (co-star) Danielle (Deadwyler) said something very wonderful. “This is a Christmas movie,” she said. This is what I will say from now on. But I think “Die Hard” is a beloved Christmas movie for a large portion of the population, and I think Christmas movies can have different genres. One of them is action, and this is an action Christmas movie.
What about Christmas and action movies?
It’s a great question. I actually think it combines two really likable genres and two really universal genres. Action movies, travel, the entire universe. It doesn’t matter what language you speak, what culture, or what country you live in. Everyone loves action movies, and everyone loves holiday movies because they are warm and cozy and bring us all together. So I think by bringing those two genres together, you basically bring the world together.
Should people watch this before heading to the airport to fly home for Christmas?
I think they should. When I finished making this movie, I stopped seeing airports in a completely different light, but in a good way — in terms of what it takes to be a TSA agent, to be a director of airport operations, to be everyone at every level working at the airport, and the sacrifices. They offer, the limits they go to, and the lengths they go to to keep us safe. When people watch this movie, I hope they go to their holiday trips with a heart full of compassion for all the airport workers.
I love that Ethan saves the day when there are only two seconds before the bombs go off.
Tarun is very excellent at that. When the world first saw him in “Kingsman,” we said, “Wow, this guy is a star.” And I think what’s so special about Ethan Kubik is that he’s your typical everyday guy who’s almost…lost in life. He lost his way. He lost his sense of who he was. He’s put in this extraordinary circumstance and does extraordinary things. He’s just this regular guy. It plays so well, so well-rounded, so layered, so complex – it’s really, really exciting to watch as an audience.
Were you on set the day Jason Bateman died in the freezer?
I wasn’t, but how epic is that?
It will go down as a classic whodunit.
amazing. That’s a lot to say.
It’s so ridiculous.
Especially in the line at the end when Danielle says, “Where’s the man?” He says: “In the refrigerator.” “Where’s the bomb?” “Same refrigerator.”
Then he got off the plane and Danielle said, “Everyone is wearing hazmat suits.” But Ethan kisses Nora. Those chemical weapons items could be in his possession.
You are right. I didn’t think about that! Mark, this is a movie. Don’t think about those things.
I know we haven’t talked about this in a while, but has there been any talk about a sequel to “Purple Hearts”? When will we see him?
There are conversations. That’s all I’ll say.
Want it to happen?
I love Cassie, I loved making this movie, and I feel very passionate about and very protective of her. So I’m very cautious about how and if the sequel will happen but it’s unusual that I get asked about it a lot. Even this is just a gift. I know the fans really loved it.
This Q&A has been edited for length and clarity. Listen to the full conversation with Carson on the “Just for Variety” podcast.