Filmmaker BenDavid Grabinski Breaks Down the Emotional Ending of 'Mike & Nick & Nick & Alice'

Hulu's genre mash-up ends on a final twist, but is it meant to set up a sequel? The writer-director has answers.

Mar. 30, 2026 at 10:09pm

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An extreme close-up of a shattered car sensor lens reflecting a faint red light, conceptually illustrating the vandalism of self-driving cars.As tensions over autonomous vehicles escalate, a recent wave of targeted street vandalism exposes pent-up frustration with driverless technology.Los Angeles Today

Filmmaker BenDavid Grabinski discusses the making of his genre-blending action-comedy 'Mike & Nick & Nick & Alice', including the emotional ending that leaves the door open for a potential sequel. Grabinski shares insights on balancing the film's disparate tones, working with lead actor Vince Vaughn, and the creative choices behind the final twist.

Why it matters

Grabinski's 'Mike & Nick & Nick & Alice' is a rare example of a studio-backed genre mash-up, blending elements of action, comedy, sci-fi, and drama. The film's success showcases the potential for bold, unconventional storytelling to find an audience, even in an era where studios often prefer more easily defined projects.

The details

Grabinski wrote the initial 15 pages of 'Mike & Nick & Nick & Alice' in 2019 after filming 'Happily', then completed the script during the COVID-19 lockdown in 2020. The film centers on Mike (James Marsden), an enforcer working for a loan shark named Nick (Vince Vaughn), who is secretly having an affair with Nick's wife, Alice (Eiza González). When Nick twists Mike's arm for one last assignment, a time travel twist is revealed, with Vaughn playing both the present-day and future versions of Nick. Grabinski opted for a minimalist approach to the time travel mechanics, trusting the audience to follow the story without an extensive exposition dump.

  • Grabinski wrote the initial 15 pages of the script in 2019 after filming 'Happily'.
  • Grabinski completed the rest of the script during the COVID-19 lockdown in the spring of 2020.
  • Grabinski's producer, Andrew Lazar, set up the project at 20th Century in 2023, leading to Grabinski meeting with the studio.
  • Filming on 'Mike & Nick & Nick & Alice' was delayed due to the industry strikes, but the film was ultimately released on Hulu on March 27, 2026.

The players

BenDavid Grabinski

The writer-director of 'Mike & Nick & Nick & Alice', known for blending genres and his affinity for action cinema.

Vince Vaughn

The lead actor of 'Mike & Nick & Nick & Alice', playing both the present-day and future versions of the character Nick.

James Marsden

The actor portraying the character Mike, an enforcer working for Nick.

Eiza González

The actress playing Alice, the wife of Nick and the love interest of Mike.

Andrew Lazar

Grabinski's producer who set up the project at 20th Century.

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What they’re saying

“I mean this with no judgment, but I felt there was a lot of needless discussion and meetings about time travel logic. I felt very strongly that it was not going to be an issue.”

— BenDavid Grabinski, Writer-Director

“The final movie is not only the movie that was in my head, but it's also the movie I pitched them.”

— BenDavid Grabinski, Writer-Director

“It took me 20 years of working in this business to get to a point where a studio decided to make a big action-comedy that I wanted to do. [20th] somehow understood this movie.”

— BenDavid Grabinski, Writer-Director

What’s next

The judge in the case will decide on Tuesday whether or not to allow Walker Reed Quinn out on bail.

The takeaway

This case highlights growing concerns in the community about repeat offenders released on bail, raising questions about bail reform, public safety on SF streets, and if any special laws to govern autonomous vehicles in residential and commercial areas.