SPOILER ALERT: The following story and question-and-answer session contains descriptions of several scenes and storylines in “Carry-On.”

In Netflix’s new action thriller “Carry-On,” Oscar nominee Taron Egerton plays Ethan, a hapless TSA agent who is blackmailed by a mysterious traveler (Jason Bateman) into shooting down a plane en route from LAX to JFK. by allowing him a bag filled with chemical weapon bombs to get through security.

While Ethan tries to save the situation, Bateman threatens to kill his pregnant girlfriend Nora (Sofia Carson), who of course also works at the airport.

Directed by Jaume Collet-Serra, the film’s cast also includes Danielle Deadwyler, Dean Norris, Theo Rossi, Tonatiuh, Logan Marshall-Green and Sinqua Walls.

I caught up with Egerton for a spoiler-filled conversation about why Carry-On is a Christmas movie, whether he’s interested in a sequel and Bateman’s horrific death scene.

I love this movie, Taron.

I heard you liked it. I was told you liked it and it was music to my ears.

I think I was invited to the premiere and thought, “Let me see it.” I went in not knowing anything about it. I had no idea what it was and thought, ‘I’m obsessed with it.’ It’s so ridiculous in the best way.

That’s great. It’s bombastic and larger than life, and hopefully it’s some kind of grand Christmas event where people can sit down and enjoy two hours of pure escapism.

Let’s talk about it. Is this a Christmas movie?

Marc, I can’t believe you’re dragging me into this debate. Of course it’s a Christmas movie. Couldn’t see the Christmas trees at the airport?

I did that.

Didn’t you hear the Christmas music from the film?

Should people watch this movie before taking their vacation flight home?

That’s an interesting question. Should people watch the film before traveling for Christmas? Yes. I feel like I might even be contractually obligated to say yes, because it’s coming out December 13th. It’s a film, and I think for that reason it definitely shouldn’t be something that gives people existential dread at Christmas. Rather, it’s just a way to imagine in a cathartic way how bad things could get in the worst case scenario, but it’s important to remember that it’s just a movie and I think that at Christmas you’re very, very can travel safely.

How was the film introduced to you?

I can’t remember what the logline was, but I know I read it in one sitting and thought, “This is a movie I want to see.” Personally, I’ve been lucky in my creative life to have a real one Doing a mix of different things but finding projects that you think are bombastic and larger than life but also clever (that’s rare). I felt like it was a rare opportunity for me as an actor to be involved in something that could reach a really, really wide audience. I think this film has that scope. Aside from the fact that I thought it was a great, entertaining story, I also thought it was a really great opportunity for me.

It’s the ultimate what-if-you-do movie.

It is. I think it’s obviously inspired by Die Hard, a film made as a tribute and in the spirit of that film. I hope that “Carry-On” finds the same place in audiences’ hearts in the same way that “Twisters” felt like a loving throwback in many ways.

Did someone read these lines to you when Jason Bateman’s character was on the phone with you? How did that work?

For the first few days it was Jason. He was great. He read some of the early scenes with me, I think the first few scenes, and after that it was a working earworm. We had an actor stand in for him and read the lines and it was great. It was obviously so strange and different to anything I’d done before, but a real challenge. It was a challenge to make it seem interesting and grounded, but I loved it. This film is unlike anything I’ve ever made, and that’s exactly what I want from my creative life.

I love the fact that when you first saved the day, I think you had two seconds left to detonate the bomb.

Just in time. Right, Marc?

Literally. It starts at three minutes and then you stop the timer with that damn pen.

The pen has already been used for nefarious purposes.

Yes, someone stabbed your boss (Dean Norris) in the neck with it.

It’s wild.

I guess you have to be careful not to look too silly and say, “I have two seconds left.”

The thing about me is that I like it a little silly. I like the mess. I don’t think people look glamorous or sexy in stressful situations. I’m not the type of person who is said to look gorgeous, composed and hyper-sexy all the time. There are a number of actors who can do this very, very well. I think I’m the guy you call when you want to feel like a guy you believe is real. I’m more of an everyman and I think when I read the script I thought, ‘Yeah, I’m the right person for this.’ I hope I’m someone you can relate to like a regular person. That’s why it felt like a great role for me. But to answer your question: I would never try to look silly. I think the reality and seriousness of it is that he looks panicked, scared and completely ridiculous, because I think that’s what you would look like in that situation.

At one point the red light of a gun can obviously be seen on Nora’s head. Did you see the light while filming? If so, how crazy was that?

We used a real laser pen. It’s a truly terrible thing, but amazing in terms of the stakes and drama of the scene, because it’s immediately deeply disturbing. But a lot of what we did in the film was done in front of the camera. The planes taking off in the background, the shots and so on, because we shot in a real airport, which is so rare and a real treat to do things like that practically.

Your character’s name is Ethan. Is this an homage to “Mission: Impossible”?

You’d have to ask the author, but the same thing happened to me and people asked me about my running, which was very flattering. But I don’t know. I think probably a coincidence, but it certainly could be. I have a feeling Tom Cruise won’t be upset about me playing another Ethan in an action movie, but I’m glad you drew the parallel.

Let’s talk about when you killed Jason Bateman’s character. (Ethan locks Bateman’s character in a refrigerator in the plane’s hold with one of the bombs.)

I put him in a refrigerator. It’s a very legitimate way to take out a villain in a movie.

An airtight refrigerator. It really needs to be airtight.

It’s an industrial grade airtight refrigerator, Marc. Didn’t you hear the seal when it closed?

Well, I saw you holding it.

Well, he’s a very strong character. It is able to create a stronger airtight seal that protects everyone nearby.

What was it like to see Jason die like that?

That was extreme makeup. He came on set with it and I said, “Wow, we’re doing this.” But yeah, he was great. It was fun. At this point in the film it’s so high and so big and larger than life, but it was fun. It’s fun not to take yourself too seriously.

And you have to fight with Tonatiuh on a conveyor belt. How much fun was that?

Aside from the fact that it was completely dirty and what I thought was a prehistoric luggage belt from a disused wing of Louis Armstrong Airport in New Orleans, it was great. I’ve done action before, but it was nice to do action that was messy and boring, not larger than life in the sense that I’m not playing a spy or whatever. He’s just a normal guy rummaging through his luggage and trying to save his girlfriend.

Were you injured at all?

No no. The thing about me, Marc, is that I’m honestly so tough.

When I think of Taron, I think, “Tough guy.”

That’s exactly it. Everyone does it. It’s Jason Statham, it’s Dwayne Johnson, Taron Egerton. This is the trio.

How about a sequel?

I mean, to be honest, I hadn’t really thought about it until this morning because the movie is so fast-paced at one point, but I think Die Hard never stopped. I think it turned out great and I’m open to everything. I’m still the type of guy who thinks every job is his last. You say continue and my cock stands erect, so everything is fine.

Ethan on a boat, Ethan on a train.

You could have Ethan on a boat, you could have Ethan on a train. They could have Ethan underwater in a submarine.

What was your worst flying experience?

When I was a child, I was separated from my mother on a plane. I remember they made us sit at opposite ends of the plane. I was so young and it was really stressful and traumatic. I still remember that today, even 28 years later or whatever.

Did you cry? Were you a crier? Did you scream?

Yes. I mean, I’m a crier. I almost cried twice in this interview, Marc. I was definitely a crier in 1996.

You can listen to Egerton’s entire interview above on Just for Variety or wherever you find your favorite podcasts.