Ari Aster has assembled an all-star cast for his next film, “Eddington,” recruiting Joaquin Phoenix, Emma Stone, Austin Butler, Pedro Pascal, Luke Grimes, Deirdre O’Connell, Micheal Ward and Clifton Collins Jr.
A24 is financing and producing the movie, which — based on Aster’s track record — we can only assume will give us nightmares. Plot details are kept under wraps besides the fact that the film “follows a small-town New Mexico sheriff with higher aspirations.”
“Eddington” starts production this week, with Aster writing, directing and producing alongside Lars Knudsen under their Square Peg banner. Two-time Academy Award nominee Darius Khondji (“Evita,” “Bardo”) is the director of photography.
“Eddington” marks the sixth collaboration between Square Peg and A24, which produced and distributed Aster’s previous three films — “Hereditary,” “Midsommar” and “Beau Is Afraid” — as well as “Dream Scenario” and the upcoming “Death of a Unicorn.”
Phoenix was recently nominated for a Golden Globe for his lead performance in “Beau Is Afraid,” Aster’s 2023 dark comedy horror about a troubled man who journeys home to see his mother.
Stone is fresh off her second Academy Award win for her lead performance in Yorgos Lanthimos’ “Poor Things,” which she also produced, as well as the Showtime series “The Curse,” which saw her teaming up with Nathan Fielder and Benny Safdie. Butler currently stars in “Dune: Part Two” and has Jeff Nichols’ “The Bikeriders” up next in theaters, while Pascal is in Ethan Coen’s “Drive Away Dolls” and working on HBO’s “The Last of Us” Season 2. Grimes, an actor and recording artist, can be seen in “Yellowstone” and “American Sniper,” while O’Connell’s credits include “Eternal Sunshine of the Spotless Mind,” Ward’s are “Top Boy” and “Empire of Light” and Collins is in “Capote” and “Jockey.”
Phoenix is represented by WME and Sloane, Weber, Offer and Dern. Stone is repped by WME, Anonymous Content, The Lede Company and Johnson, Shapiro, Slewett & Kole. Butler’s reps include WME, Anonymous Content, The Lede Company and Sloane Offer Weber & Dern. Grimes is repped by CAA, Range Media Partners, Narrative and Johnson Shapiro Slewett and Kole. O’Connell is repped by Innovative Artists. Ward is represented by CAA, Entertainment 360, Olivia Bell Management. Collins is repped by CAA, MGMT. Entertainment and Yorn, Levine, Barnes.