Ari Aster Latest Celebrity News & Gossip

Marc Malkin Senior Film Awards, Events & Lifestyle Editor Director Ari Aster says it took about six months for Joaquin Phoenix to sign on to star in his new movie, “Beau Is Afraid.” “You get on your hands and knees and beg,” Aster jokes about his first meeting with the Oscar winner. “He’s the best. He’s the greatest. He’s the prince. And those eyes. He could be so naked, so exposed, and he’s funny. He’s a funny guy.” Aster (“Hereditary” and “Midsommar”) and his cast celebrated the Los Angeles premiere of the A24 film Monday night at the DGA in West Hollywood. “It’s when I first saw ‘I’m Still Here’ that I knew I needed to work with this guy,” Aster said. “One, it’s such a funny film, and two, that performance is really a brilliant comic performance. But it’s also because as a gesture that movie is suicidal. What he was doing with his own name there is so crazy and funny and sick. It’s like a sick thing to do. Since then, I’ve known I’ve wanted to work with him.”

Joaquin Phoenix and director Ari Aster have brought their new film Beau Is Afraid to L.A.

Peter Debruge Chief Film Critic Poor Beau. Nearly half a century on Earth, and he’s never really lived. Sure, he was born — that much director Ari Aster depicts from Beau’s point of view at the outset of his wildly self-indulgent and frequently surreal third feature, “Beau Is Afraid,” lingering long enough to witness the infant’s umbilical cord being snipped — but what has Beau done with his life since then? Can it be said that he ever really developed an identity apart from his successful single mom, Mona Wasserman, who haunts the film for the better part of three hours before finally revealing herself? Not since “Psycho” has an off-screen mother loomed so large over a film’s protagonist, played here by Joaquin Phoenix, cowering from the world. The Hitchcock comparison could be misleading, since Aster (who helmed indie studio A24’s two most successful horror movies, “Hereditary” and “Midsommar”) makes a surprising tonal shift away from traditional nightmare material for this deranged road trip, which follows Beau cross-country — and through several substitute families — to face his intimidating Jewish mom.

At a surprise New York City screening, or rather unveiling, of Beau Is Afraid a few days ago, the Q&A moderator, actress Emma Stone, reportedly began by asking writer-director Ari Aster, “Are you okay, Ari?”

Joaquin Phoenix kept a low profile at a screening for his highly anticipated new movie Beau Is Afraid.

In short order, indie filmmaker Ari Aster has become one of the most exciting writer/directors on the planet. Following the one-two punch of two amazing, psychologically bruising horrors, “Hereditary” and “Midsommar,” the filmmaker returns with his most ambitious film, “Beau Is Afraid” which stars Joaquin Phoenix, is a dark, surreal, black comedy nightmare odyssey.

Academy Award-winning actor Joaquin Phoenix is a man committed to his craft, able to garner attention on and off-screen. He certainly did just that when he fainted while filming a scene with Patti LuPone in his new film, "Beau is Afraid." In a Q&A at a surprise screening for the upcoming movie, writer-director Ari Aster revealed that Phoenix actually ruined a shot by passing out. "There was a scene that was very intense for Patti, and it was a shot that was on Patti, it was not on him and all of a sudden he fell out of frame," Aster said of Phoenix.

Joaquin Phoenix suffered an injury on the set of his new movie Beau is Afraid.

Brent Lang Executive Editor Emma Stone was blunt. “Are you okay, man?” she asked Ari Aster after a surprise screening of his latest film, “Beau Is Afraid” at Brooklyn’s Alamo Drafthouse on a rainy Saturday afternoon. Audiences around the country may be asking variations of the same question after they emerge from the occasionally creepy, often hilarious and deeply weird horror-comedy. It’s a movie about a neurotic man (Joaquin Phoenix) with serious mommy issues, who must endure a phantasmagoric odyssey as he labors to get home following a family tragedy. Over the course of his journey he will be kidnapped by a suburban couple (Nathan Lane and Amy Ryan), stalked by a hulking vet with PTSD, menaced by a paint-drinking teenage girl and embraced by an experimental theater troupe. There’s also an animated sequence, as well as a recurring gag involving Phoenix’s distended testicles, plus a sex scene with Parker Posey that may rank among the wackiest ever committed to film. Oh, and did we mention the whole thing is three hours long?

Ari Aster pulled an epic April Fool’s prank on moviegoers expecting to see a screening of Midsommar but instead were treated to a screening of his newest film Beau Is Afraid starring Joaquin Phoenix.

In 2019, Ari Aster‘s “Midsommar” established the director as one of the world’s must-watch horror directors. And Florence Pugh‘s performance in the film cemented her as one of Hollywood’s fastest-rising stars.

One of the most anticipated films of 2023 is, without a doubt, Ari Aster’s “Beau is Afraid.” Not only is it the third film from the writer-director of “Hereditary” and “Midsommar,” but it also stars Joaquin Phoenix in what looks to be another tour-de-force performance. And according to Aster, the joy found in making ‘Beau’ has changed him as a filmmaker and will likely lead to yet another film collaboration with Phoenix in the future.

So far in his short career, filmmaker Ari Aster has become an indie auteur in the vein of Jordan Peele in just two short films. His films may not be of the same scale—yet—but they are just as ambitious.

Y2K.The film is set to be helmed by Saturday Night Live alumnus Kyle Mooney in his directorial debut.

Death On The Nile and Tenet, revealed his choices in a poll for Sight and Sound magazine.Since 1952, the magazine has asked various filmmakers every decade for their lists of the greatest films of all time. As part of the Winter 2022-23 issue, directors like Branagh, Martin Scorsese, Wes Anderson, Barry Jenkins and Ari Aster were invited to contribute their favourites.Branagh’s top pick was The Godfather, while Cloud Atlas and Lady Bird also made his top 10.

EXCLUSIVE: Patrick Kwok-Choon, notably recognized for his work in Star Trek: Discovery, has signed with Buchwald for representation.

EXCLUSIVE: Leonine Studios and A24 have closed an all rights-deal for Ari Aster’s upcoming movie Beau Is Afraid for Germany and Austria.

Alex Wolff (Hereditary) will reteam with Pig filmmaker Michael Sarnoski on the Paramount Pictures horror A Quiet Place: Day One, Deadline can confirm. He’s set to star alongside Academy Award winner Lupita Nyong’o and Stranger Things breakout Joseph Quinn.

One of 2023’s most mysterious movies just got much less mysterious, as A24 has debuted the brand-new trailer for “Midsommar” and “Hereditary” director Ari Aster’s latest film, “Beau Is Afraid.”Up until now all we had were snippets of information – Aster himself described it as a four-hour-long “nightmare comedy” back in 2020, and it was described as being a decades-spanning epic set in an alternate version of modern-day America. Oscar-winning star Joaquin Phoenix was said to go on a decades-spanning odyssey battling demons both psychological and literal.

What is “Beau Is Afraid,” exactly, you ask? Well, it’s the new film from indie horror auteur Ari Aster, known for the big A24 hits “Midsommar” and “Hereditary,” and it stars Joaquin Phoenix. But is it a horror film? Because until now, the first trailer, most of “Beau’s Is Afraid,” was mainly under wraps.

It’s been four long years (including a pandemic) since Ari Aster‘s last film, 2019’s “Midsommar.” But now, after some release days and a title change, Aster’s latest is set to hit theaters: “Beau Is Afraid” arrives this April, as per A24‘s brand new poster for the film. READ MORE: ‘Beau Is Afraid’: Ari Aster’s New Nightmare Comedy WIth Joaquin Phoenix Changes Its ‘Disappointment Blvd’ Title & Drops Teaser Poster Many expected a Cannes premiere for “Beau Is Afraid” in May this year, so now speculation abounds about where and when the film has its world premiere.

EXCLUSIVE: WandaVision‘s best song Emmy win for “Agatha All Along”, performed by Kathryn Hahn, set the bar high for the spinoff series Agatha: Coven of Chaos, headlined by Hahn reprising her role as bad gal Agatha Harkness. The Marvel offshoot is now adding some big musical theater firepower, with three-time Tony winner Patti LuPone joining the cast of the upcoming series for Disney+, sources tell Deadline.

EXCLUSIVE: The 2x Primetime Emmy nominated and Golden Globe winning Gabriel Byrne has closed a deal, we hear, to star opposite Ana de Armas in the John Wick spinoff Ballerina.

It’s very high on our list of the Most Anticipated Films of 2023, and it was actually on our 2022 list too. Everyone is very psyched up for the return of horror indie filmmaker Ari Aster, known for “Hereditary” and “Midsommar.” His next film, “Disappointment Blvd,” is something more of a gear shift, not traditional horror, but something dark, twisted, comedic, and ambitious: comedy horror, apparently.

Michael Gandolfini (The Many Saints Of Newark) is set for a major role opposite Charlie Cox and Vincent D’Onofrio in Daredevil: Born Again, Marvel’s upcoming revival series on Disney+, sources tell Deadline.

There’s good and bad news in the world of HBO‘s big-budgeted series adaptation of the acclaimed Naughty Dog post-apocalypse video game “The Last of Us.” Let’s start with the good news, after releasing a series of teasers and a trailer, HBO finally has a premiere date for the show. The nine-episode first season of the original drama series will debut Sunday, January 15 at 9:00 p.m.

Kristoffer Borgli’s newest film Dream Scenario, which Deadline first reported, has added Emmy Award winner Julianne Nicholson, Dylan Baker, Kate Berlant, Michael Cera, Dylan Gelula and Tim Meadows to star alongside Nicolas Cage. Filming stars this month.

Personality Crisis: One Night Only, directed by Martin Scorsese and David Tedeschi, is a documentary that follows punk pioneer David Johansen, which premiered at NYFF60. The film follows Johansen, who, during his residency in New York City in 2020, gave a detailed account of his life, how he navigated the music scene from the 1970s up to the present day, and why music is integral to his existence. 

Jennifer Lawrence has reached the upper echelon of A-list actor royalty over the past few years. In a relatively short time, she’s starred in a massive franchise (“Hunger Games”), worked with some of the best filmmakers around, and earned no less than four Oscar nominations (and one win).

Nicolas Cage is a national treasure. There are just no two ways about it.

Wilson Chapman editor Hot on the heels from making out with himself in this spring’s ludicrous “The Unbearable Weight of Massive Talent,” Nicolas Cage is now taking on another comedy role. The iconic actor is set to star in “Dream Scenario,” an upcoming A24 comedy produced by “Hereditary” and “Midsommar” director Ari Aster, Variety has confirmed. Beyond the genre, most details on the film are being kept under wraps. Kristoffer Borgli, whose directorial debut “Sick of Myself” premiered at this year’s Cannes Film Festival, wrote the script and will direct. Aster produces with Lars Knudsen under their Square Peg banner, while A24 will finance and produce the film. Jacob Jaffke and Tyler Campellone serve as additional producers.

Ari Aster took Hollywood and the horror genre by storm with his one-two punch of “Hereditary” and “Midsommar” in 2018 and 2019. So, naturally, everyone cannot wait for his next film, “Disappointment Blvd.,” to have its world premiere somewhere (anywhere!) to see if his third film measures up to his first pair.

Oscar-winner Nicolas Cage (“Leaving Las Vegas“) is having an overdue career resurgence thanks to recent films such as the psychedelic revenge picture “Mandy” and the performance-focused “Pig.” The actor has previously revealed that he’s out of debt and ready to make a big Hollywood return. Cage’s hopes for the future were on full display during a recent Reddit AMA as the actor, who doesn’t have an online presence or social media accounts, answered various fan questions.

Along with Robert Eggers and Ari Aster, Jordan Peele is one of modern horror’s new masters. Well, good news, horror fans: all three directors have new films out this year.

Outside of Ari Aster, nobody does horror cinema better right now than Robert Eggers. So, take notice, horror fans: “The Northman,” Eggers’ latest film since 2019’s “The Lighthouse,” hits theaters next April.

was part of a $275 million investment round in Skydance Media, which also included RedBird Capital Partners. The company’s entertainment arm previously released, through Samuel Goldwyn Films, the drama “Endings Beginnings” and are currently developing other English-language remakes of Korean box office hits, including projects such as “Save the Green Planet” with producer Ari Aster, as well as “Extreme Job” and “Bye, Bye, Bye” that are collaborations with Kevin Hart and Universal.