Conspiracy theories are something all too relevant to today's society, and since art reflects the reality of its time, it makes sense that Operation Taco Gary's was crafted and given to the world. The comedy film follows Simon Rex's Danny, a conspiracy-obsessed man who pulls his brother, Luke, played by Dustin Milligan, into a cross-country road trip as they become entangled in a larger-than-life conspiracy.
To promote the film, Operation Taco Gary's star Simon Rex and director Mikey K attended the local Los Angeles food market SMORGASBURGLA, where they teamed up with Tacos 1986 to promote their latest film. The Direct was able to attend the event and also catch up with both Rex and K to discuss Operation Taco Gary's, including how challenging it was to pull off the film's humor and how the movie tackles today's obsession with conspiracy theories.
Operation Taco Gary's lands in theaters on February 27, 2026. For more comedic stories, be sure to check out our coverage of recent projects like Peacock's The Burbs and the upcoming animated feature Super Mario Galaxy Movie.
The Stress of Making an Insane, Low-Budget Indie Comedy
"We Have One Chance to Be Funny."
- The Direct: "It is a really silly film. I imagine it was a crazy experience on set with all these zany things happening. What was it like doing some of those just insane things and having to treat it as if, no, this is actually happening?"
Mikey K: Well, I think we were quite stressed, because it's not funny when you're making it. Because there are periods where, if we don't get this certain scene done, there's no reshoots, there's no money for picking it up at the end of the day. We're like, we have to film this now. So it's like, we have one chance to be funny...
Simon Rex: Like when the storms came and the lightning, we have to shut down for lightning legally, and we just eat up 90 minutes and we're just sitting in the rain like we're fucked. I kind of, me personally, I know I'm just being selfish here, but I love the chaos when you kind of have to. It's easier for me just to read my lines. He's got to steer the ship. But I kind of like the chaos of a small budget when you have to pivot and kind of improv. It keeps you sharp, but that's weird for me to say.
K: I mean, there was a scene, the scene in a movie where the characters keeps breaking his ankle over and over again. I remember filming that day and our crew being so confused about why I'm running around with a camera, like forcing people to fall down and like doing those fake ankle breaking myself, and when you're taking all these shots separately, it's not funny, it just looks it's just absurd. Feels like running through the forest getting ticks, right? But, yeah, the final product made it all worth it.
Rex: I'm happy with the final product. I know anyone reading this can't see what I'm doing, but most directors, Mikey here, I just remember being like this because my hands are on my knees and I'm bent over a bit, because you would just be stressed and thinking about what we could do to make it work. The movie, the director was pensively bent over like and then, but we got it...
Dealing With Conspiracy Theories
It's "Just People Trying to Make Sense of Insanity."
- The Direct: "A lot of the film is about conspiracy theories. So can you talk about how the film takes the dangers of conspiracy theories as it were, but you make it fun and you make it an easy experience to watch and enjoy?"
Mikey K: Well, you know, my theory with conspiracy theories is just people trying to make sense of insanity? Sense of nonsense. So they're just trying to create stories to make the make the horrors of existence more palatable. They're trying to connect the dots. But in reality, a lot of this shit is just random. It's just random. And occasionally you'll get, like, some conspiracies proven true, like Gilligan's Island.
But besides that, it's just people who have a harder time fathoming the insanity of existence. And it's a fun place, because I empathize with those people, right? It's just people who just really try to make sense of life. So that's why I don't find a danger in it. I don't see why it's dangerous, unless the conspiracy theories getting the people who are truly [going down those rabbit holes].
- The Direct: "And I really like the line from you Simon, that says, 'No one but wants to believe the truth anymore.' And I think that sums up so much about the heart of the film, but also this world we live in."
Simon Rex: Yeah, we're in these weird times. I feel like this movie is coming out at the perfect time. We're in this AI point where we don't even know what to believe is on our phone anymore. We already lost faith in the news and in government and institutions have all kind of failed us, and we're in this weird place of like, What the fuck is even real anymore. And I feel like this is coming out at the perfect time.
K: And that's kind of the message of the movie too, which is the hero of the movie, the lead character, Luke, has to get to the point where he has to admit that he just doesn't get it. I just don't get it. But that's okay. It's okay to say I don't get what's going on, to try to understand everything, right?
Rex: That's a good point you make. And I feel like there's a lot of power and being like, I don't know, you know, there's a lot of power in that.
K: I miss when people used to say, I don't know.
Rex: Eactly, and everyone's so sure of things. Now it's like—there's a famous quote by this sounds obnoxious, but there's a famous quote by Robert Anton Wilson that says, 'Only the mad man is absolutely sure,' and that's exactly what it is. And I got certain friends who are absolutely sure that certain things happens when it's like, I always say to them, if you can't say, 'or maybe not,' then we got a problem. Most people can't say, 'or maybe I'm wrong, and we need to get back to like, I don't know, being agnostic about stuff.
K: Just admitting that, like, I don't have an opinion.
- The Direct: "Because everyone has a platform, and they're just like, I have to say something."
Rex: Yeah, everyone's got opinions. And it's like, we got enough of those, so we're having fun with all that.
