If Yorgos Lanthimos has a new movie coming out, expect it to be an end-of-the-year favorite. And this year we’re getting not one but likely two new films from the Greek filmmaker. The first is Poor Things, a reunion with The Favourite star Emma Stone for an adaptation of Alasdair Gray’s novel.
The new teaser doesn’t reveal much except the slightly off-kilter atmosphere that has become a trademark of many of Lanthimos’ films. Penned by Tony McNamara, who knows Stone well from The Favourite and Cruella, the Frankenstein-esque story centers on a young woman brought back to life by a controlling scientist. But she has dreams of seeing the world and finding a sense of true equality.
Stone is joined in the cast by Willem Dafoe, Mark Ruffalo, Ramy Youssef, Jerrod Carmichael and Christopher Abbott (a nice On the Count of Three reunion there), Margaret Qualley, and Kathryn Hunter.
Poor Things opens in theaters on September 8th. The other Lanthimos film that should show up this year is And, also with Emma Stone, but it has yet to be given a firm release date.
From filmmaker Yorgos Lanthimos and producer Emma Stone comes the incredible tale and fantastical evolution of Bella Baxter, a young woman brought back to life by the brilliant and unorthodox scientist Dr. Godwin Baxter. Under Baxter’s protection, Bella is eager to learn. Hungry for the worldliness she is lacking, Bella runs off with Duncan Wedderburn, a slick and debauched lawyer, on a whirlwind adventure across the continents. Free from the prejudices of her times, Bella grows steadfast in her purpose to stand for equality and liberation.
