Although he only has two feature films to his name, Ari Aster is certainly Hollywood royalty. Both his films, Hereditary and Midsommar, received acclaim, not least for the transfixing performances by his leading ladies, Toni Collette and Florence Pugh respectively.
So his new film, Beau Is Afraid, comes with heaps of expectations. A24 has just released the very first trailer for the film and honestly, we still have no clue what this film is about.
Take a look at the trailer below.
Joaquin Phoenix is the titular Beau, a man seemingly scared of everything. He is supposed to be visiting his mother but his anxieties get the better of him. He does get into an accident and a couple, played by Nathan Lane and Amy Ryan, seem to be holding him hostage.
The film also got a brand new poster, which showcases four versions of Phoenix’s character at different ages.
Credit: A24
The truth is, we don’t know. As with Aster’s previous films, the plot details of Beau Is Afraid are scarce, but it seems that Aster is stepping away from straight-forward horror. Beau Is Afraid seems to have some comedic elements to it and a surreal quality.
This also seems like a prime opportunity for Joaquin Phoenix to turn in yet another great performance. Currently working on the sequel to Joker, for which he won the Oscar for Best Actor, Phoenix is no stranger to weird characters and Beau looks like he is another addition to the actor’s growing roster of anxiety-ridden men.
In other news, Gladiator, in which Phoenix starred in, is getting a sequel too and Paul Mescal is rumoured to play the lead.
Beau Is Afraid will be released in cinemas 21 April in the US and while we don’t have an official UK date, we hope it’s not too far behind.
