Phoenix Jones: The Rise and Fall of a Real Life Superhero
Real-life superhero, or untrained vigilante? A new documentary revisits the Phoenix Jones saga, a fascinating chapter in recent Seattle history, with never-before-seen footage and illuminating interviews with Phoenix’s family, co-superheroes, and enemies.
Director Bayan Joonam scheduled to attend.
Tickets
Select showtime for pricing and tickets.
Saturday, May 16, 2026
- Limited Availability
- On Standby
- Matinee
Sunday, May 17, 2026
- Limited Availability
- On Standby
- Matinee
Remember all those headlines about Phoenix Jones, a.k.a. Seattle resident Benjamin Fodor? In the 2010s, Fodor became internationally famous for donning a bulletproof, black-and-gold superhero getup and intervening in crime scenes in Seattle's downtown. His stated goal was to deescalate dangerous situations and keep the peace until the police could arrive. Critics, however, decried him as an untrained vigilante. Flash forward to 2020, and Fodor was back in the news for a drug-related arrest, years after his superhero league had dissolved. The public had to wonder: What really happened?
Bayan Joonam's documentary Phoenix Jones: The Rise and Fall of a Real Life Superhero, which premiered at the SXSW Film & TV Festival, answers that question with never-before-seen footage and illuminating interviews with Fodor's family, co-superheroes, and rivals. Each subject, from cultural critic Jon Ronson to Fodor's childhood best friend, offers a distinct angle on a charismatic and complicated man. Fodor, a compelling yet unreliable narrator himself, also tells his story in his own words. Ultimately, Phoenix Jones asks whether the noble drive to make your community a safer place can have a dark side, and what it would really take to make Seattle's streets safe for all.
—Alison Jean Smith
- Director: Bayan Joonam
- Principal Cast: Phoenix Jones, Rainn Wilson, Jon Ronson, Sol Rosenberg, Freedom Fodor
- Country: USA
- Year: 2026
- Running Time: 116 min.
- Producer: Claire Chubbuck, Marlowe Blue, Duncan Dickerson
- Screenplay: Bayan Joonam
- Cinematographers: Chris Koser
- Editors: Duncan Dickerson, Karl Steig
- Filmography: Debut Feature Film
- Language: English