Searchlight Pictures thinks they have something special with Poor Things, and for good reason. They also had a previous collaboration between director Yorgos Lanthimos and star Emma Stone, that film being The Favourite, which went on to earn 10 Academy Award nominations and a victory for Olivia Colman. Can this one replicate that level of success?
The Frankenstein-esque story is an adaptation of Alasdair Gray‘s 1992 novel and stars Stone as Bella Baxter, a young woman brought back to life by an unorthodox scientist. But she has no desire to live her life under his thumb. Instead, she runs off with another man to see the world.
Searchlight Pictures has dropped a new extended trailer, with Stone taking time to explain her character’s journey and motivations.
Joining Stone in the cast are Mark Ruffalo, Willem Dafoe, Ramy Youssef, Jerrod Carmichael, Christopher Abbott, Margaret Qualley, and Kathryn Hunter.
Here’s the official synopsis courtesy of Searchlight Pictures:
From filmmaker Yorgos Lanthimos and producer Emma Stone comes the incredible tale and fantastical evolution of Bella Baxter (Stone), a young woman brought back to life by the brilliant and unorthodox scientist Dr. Godwin Baxter (Willem Dafoe). Under Baxter’s protection, Bella is eager to learn. Hungry for the worldliness she is lacking, Bella runs off with Duncan Wedderburn (Mark Ruffalo), 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.
Poor Things opens in theaters on December 8th.