‘Beau Is Afraid’ Poster Reveals Multiple Versions Of Joaquin Phoenix In Ari Aster’s “Nightmare Comedy”

With Hereditary and the far superior Midsommar to his credit, any new project from horror filmmaker Ari Aster is anticipated by an entire legion of fans.  And there’s reason for them to be excited today with the reveal of the new poster for Aster’s latest, the “nightmare comedy” Beau Is Afraid starring Oscar winner Joaquin Phoenix.

The image features multiple versions of Phoenix’s character, Beau, set at different stages of life. The youngest version of Beau appears to be actor Armen Nahapetian. Phoenix plays all of the adult versions of Beau, including the oldest with thick white hair and beard.

Details on the film, originally titled Disappointment Blvd, are being kept under wraps. But it’s been described as a “surrealist horror” that spans decades and centers on an anxious man and his return home after learning of his mother’s death from mysterious circumstances. The journey home reveals alarming details about his past, and encounters with crazy supernatural threats. We’ll see if this plot synopsis holds up.

Also in the cast are Nathan Lane, Stephen McKinley Henderson, Patti LuPone, Amy Ryan, Hayley Squires, Stephen McKinley Henderson, Michael Gandolfini, Kylie Rogers, Zoe Lister-Jones, and Parker Posey.

Beau Is Afraid opens in April.

Travis Hopson
Travis Hopson has been reviewing movies before he even knew there was such a thing. Having grown up on a combination of bad '80s movies, pro wrestling, comic books, and hip-hop, Travis is uniquely positioned to geek out on just about everything under the sun. A vampire who walks during the day and refuses to sleep, Travis is the co-creator and lead writer for Punch Drunk Critics. He is also a contributor to Good Morning Washington, WBAL Morning News, and WETA Around Town. In the five minutes a day he's not working, Travis is also a voice actor, podcaster, and Twitch gamer. Travis is a voting member of the Critics Choice Association (CCA), Washington DC Area Film Critics Association (WAFCA), and Late Night programmer for the Lakefront Film Festival.