Gregg Araki is set to direct Olivia Wilde in his next feature, Black Bear’s provocative thriller “I Want Your Sex.”
The film features an original script penned by Araki and Karley Sciortino (“Slutever,” “Now Apocalypse”) which blithely explores desire, domination and fantasy.
When fresh-faced Elliot lands an exciting job for renowned artist, icon and provocateur Erika Tracy (Wilde), his fantasies come true as Erika taps him to become her sexual muse. But Elliot soon finds himself out of his depth as Erika takes him on a journey more profound than he ever could have imagined, into a world of sex, obsession, power, betrayal and murder.
Arlie Day (“To Leslie”) and Mike Page (“The Storied Life of A.J. Fikry”) are casting the picture. The film will be produced by Seth Caplan, a past winner of the John Cassavetes Award at the Film Independent Spirit Awards, alongside Black Bear’s Teddy Schwarzman and Michael Heimler.
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Executive producers include John Friedberg and Courtney L. Cunniff. Black Bear will also fully finance the picture and introduce the film to international buyers in Cannes next week, while CAA Media Finance will handle U.S. rights. Production is set to begin this summer in Los Angeles.
Longtime indie auteur Araki is known for “Mysterious Skin,” starring Joseph Gordon-Levitt and Elisabeth Shue, which earned him a nomination for Best Director at the Film Independent Spirit Awards. The film had its world premiere at the Venice Film Festival, where it was nominated for Best Film, and went on to play at the Toronto and Sundance Film Festivals. His other credits include “White Bird in a Blizzard,” “Kaboom,” “The Living End” and “Smiley Face.”
Wilde most recently starred in and directed “Don’t Worry Darling,” which debuted at the Venice Film Festival in 2022 and grossed nearly $100 million at the worldwide box office. Her acting credits include Spike Jonze’s “Her,” Damien Chazelle’s “Babylon,” Ron Howard’s “Rush,” Jon Favreau’s “Cowboys & Aliens” and the Emmy-winning medical drama “House.” The “Booksmart” director is next attached to direct comic book film “Avengelyne” and “Naughty,” a Christmas comedy for Universal Pictures, both of which will be produced by Margot Robbie’s LuckyChap.
Black Bear’s other upcoming films include Greg Kwedar’s “Sing Sing,” Guy Ritchie’s “In the Grey,” David Mackenzie’s “Relay.” The company recently began pre-production on the Sydney Sweeney-led Christy Martin boxing project from director David Michôd, which Black Bear is introducing to buyers in Cannes.
Araki is represented by Black Bear. Wilde is represented by CAA, Hamilton Hodell, Untitled Entertainment, and Johnson Shapiro Slewett & Kole. Sciortino is repped by CAA, Brigade Talent and Frankfurt Kurnit Klein & Selz.
