Director Darren Aronofsky has from the start of his career always been able to court impressive ensembles for his eclectic films. His latest, a still untitled drama being set up at Paramount, looks to be no different. Oscar winning superstar Jennifer Lawrence is already attached to headline his latest alongside Oscar winner Javier Bardem (No Country for Old Men). Reportedly, Aronofsky appears to be on the verge of casting stalwarts Michelle Pfeiffer, Domhnall Gleeson, Brian Gleeson (Domhnall’s brother) and Ed Harris as well. The Hollywood Reporter first reported this story.
The roles themselves appear under lock and key but the story of Aronofsky’s latest appears to be focused around a couple who is tested when uninvited visitors show up at their home. Chaos inevitably ensues. Aronofsky also penned the screenplay and the movie seems primed for a production start this June with Paramount likely releasing the title sometime in 2017. For cinephiles, this may be a very big deal indeed from the director who has gathered numerous attention all the way from his 1998 indie breakthrough Pi through past successes Requiem for a Dream (2000) and The Wrestler (2008). Aronofsky earned an Oscar nomination for directing the 2010 ballet melodrama Black Swan (which star Natalie Portman picked up a trophy for); his last film was Noah (2014) starring Russell Crowe, Jennifer Connelly and Emma Watson.
Pfeiffer, who has received three Oscar nominations throughout her illustrious career, was last seen opposite Robert De Niro in the crime comedy The Family. She will soon be seen in the indie Beat-Up Little Seagull. Domhnall Gleeson had a stellar 2015, appearing in critical and commercial hits such as The Revenant, Ex Machina and, of course, Star Wars: The Force Awakens. His brother Brian, meanwhile, will soon appear in Assassin’s Creed opposite Michael Fassbender and Marion Cotillard. Harris can currently be seen in The Adderall Diaries and is slated to appear in Warren Beatty’s upcoming Howard Hughes project, due sometime later this year.
Of course, the major speculation here will likely be what possible magic Aronofsky may be able to create with Lawrence, currently cinema’s reigning superstar. Lawrence, now complete on her Katniss duties, will return as Mystique in the upcoming X-Men: Apocalypse and be seen in the science fiction film Passengers opposite Chris Pratt later this year. She’s also attached to star in It’s What I Do for director Steven Spielberg but no production timetable has been set for that as of yet.
We will stay tuned to the latest developments on what may be one of the more exciting cinematic offerings of 2017.