Yorgos Lanthimos is not one to shy away from the brutal, the outrageous or the uncomfortable in his films. If you've seen his psychological horror film The Killing of a Sacred Deer, the oddity that is The Lobster, or the period-drama The Favourite, you'll know this very well by now. His latest film is called Poor Things, a Frankenstein-esque adaptation which is, he says, "a Victorian tale of love, discovery and scientific daring" – but we all know that the reality of the R-rated film will likely be much darker and more disturbing than that. It's in his blood to make films that are not for the faint of heart.
What do we know so far?
Poor Things will be an adaptation of the 1992 Alasdair Gray novel of the same name, which has been described as a feminist version of Frankenstein. It is set to feature a star-studded ensemble, from Lanthimos favourites like Emma Stone and Willem DaFoe, to fresh faces to his cinematic-universe like Margaret Qualley and Mark Ruffalo. The cast will also feature Christopher Abbott, Ramy Youssef, Jerrod Carmichael and Kathryn Hunter.
Stone is set to star as Belle Baxter, a young woman brought back from the dead by an eccentric scientist after drowning herself to escape her abusive husband – only when she's brought back to life, she is not quite the same, as her brain has been swapped for that of her unborn child. The film has already been hit with an R-rating for its strong and pervasive sexual content, gore and disturbing material. That sounds a bit more in-cannon, now doesn't it?
When will the film be released?
Poor Things is set to be released globally in cinemas on 8 December 2023 – just in time for the holiday season.
What else is Lamthimos working on?
Lanthimos is already working on his next film, And, an anthology film shot in New Orleans that will reportedly be featuring a cameo by breakout Euphoria star Hunter Schafer.
