John Travolta is making his directorial debut after 50 years in Hollywood. The two-time Academy Award-nominated actor is adapting Propeller One-Way Night Coach, the children’s novel he wrote in 1997. The Apple Originals film will have its world premiere at the 79th Cannes International Film Festival in May. The project will stream on Apple TV+ on May 29th.
Propeller One-Way Night Coach was produced, written, and directed by Travolta. The film stars Calrk Shotwell as Jeff, Kelly Eviston-Quinnett as Helen, Olga Hoffmann as Liz, Ella Bleu Travolta as Doris, and Travolta as the Narrator. Ella Bleu is Travolta’s only daughter with his late wife, Kelly Preston. Jason Berget and Amy Laslett are also producing the project.
What Is Propeller One-Way Night Coach About?
You can read the official synopsis for Travolta’s new film below:
“Set in the golden age of aviation, a young airplane enthusiast, Jeff (played by newcomer Clark Shotwell), and his mother (Kelly Eviston-Quinnett) set off on a one-way cross-country odyssey to Hollywood, which transforms a simple flight into the trip of a lifetime. Between airline meals, charming flight attendants (played by Ella Bleu Travolta and Olga Hoffman), unexpected stopovers, larger-than-life passengers, and a thrilling glimpse at first class, the journey unfolds in moments both magical and unexpected, charting the course for the boy’s future.”
While this marks Travolta’s first time in the director’s chair, he is known for many iconic films. His list of projects includes Saturday Night Fever, Grease, Urban Cowboy, Blow Out, Pulp Fiction, Face/Off, and much more.
Travolta’s Aviation History
Travolta is a seasoned pilot who has been flying planes since he was 22 years old. He owns multiple aircraft and has showcased his passion for flying in many ways throughout his career. In 2023, he appeared in the Disney+ short film, The Shepard, which follows a fighter pilot on Christmas Eve in 1957. Travolta produced the short and made a cameo (pictured above).
Back in 2003, Travolta spoke to The GW Hatchet about the special love he has for the Boeing 707. He previously owned a rare 1964 Boeing 707-138B.
“That’s the plane I grew up with,” Travolta explained at the time, “That was the queen of the sky when I was a kid. It doesn’t matter what comes out after that. It’s the thing that you love early. I remember there was a car. This happened to Steven Spielberg as well. When we first got to Hollywood, there was a car that represented success to us. It didn’t matter what cars came out after that. That was the car. Even though we had the money, we only wanted the car that set the standard.”
The plane in Propeller One-Way Night Coach is a Trans World Airlines propeller plane, which Travolta remembers flying on when he was a kid in the 1960s. Travolta’s passion for aviation shone through in the Propeller One-Way Night Coach book, and fans can expect the same from his new film.
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