A24 Sets Release Date for Hereditary Director Ari Aster’s Second Horror Film
Photo via Getty Images, Nicholas Hunt Movies News ari aster
For everyone who was scarred by the events of Hereditary, you’ll now know what date you should be avoiding director Ari Aster’s follow up: August 9, 2019. That’s when A24 has announced the release of the director’s second, currently untitled film. The project had previously been referred to as Midsommer.
Earliest reports said that the film involved “a couple that travels to Sweden to visit their friend’s rural hometown for its fabled mid-summer festival. What begins as an idyllic retreat quickly devolves into an increasingly violent and bizarre competition at the hands of a pagan cult.”
What does that sound like? The parallels to the themes (and eventual plot points) of Hereditary are pretty obvious, as are inspirations from the likes of The Wicker Man. In fact, Netflix’s Apostle recently plumbed similar territory as well.
The film will be shooting with Hungary filling in for Sweden, where the film’s 15-building village will soon be constructed. Aster has spoken about the film with several outlets, dropping colorful descriptors each time. First he referred to the movie as “Scandinavian folk horror,” before then dubbing it “an apocalyptic breakup movie.” Here’s what Aster says about the plot:
“The story follows a young couple visiting an isolated Swedish village; over the course of their vacation, they discover that its residents participate in an eccentric set of seasonal traditions. The recent death of the main character’s parents casts a sense of dread over the proceedings.”
The untitled film stars Jack Reynor and Florence Pugh as the couple in question, while also starring Will Poulter, Vilhem Blomgren, William Jackson Harper, Ellora Torchia and Archie Madekwe. A24 is fully producing, in what is expected to be their most expensive production yet.
We look forward to seeing a first look after filming is completed, but given the huge impact of Hereditary, it’s clear that this film will be a big deal in the horror community when it arrives.