Acclaimed horror director Ari Aster's next film, Disappointment Blvd., just announced a slew of new actors, including Amy Ryan, Kylie Rogers, and Broadway legends Nathan Lane and Patti LuPone. They will join Academy Award-winner Joaquin Phoenix, who was announced back in February.
This will be Aster's third feature film and third project under A24's banner, continuing their winning streak after critical and commercial hits like Hereditary and Midsommar. He will reunite with producer Lars Knudsen, who is behind some of the great A24 projects, including The Witch, American Honey as well as Robert Eggers' upcoming feature The Northman.
Although both of Aster's films were considered exemplary additions to the current revival of the horror genre, it seems as though Disappointment Blvd. will stray from that mainstay. Plot details are scarce, and all we're given is that the film will follow one of the most successful entrepreneurs of all time over his decades-long career. This casting news is some of the biggest reveals we've seen so far, and it does give us some insight into what we can expect. Phoenix seems apt to star as the lead entrepreneur, and it would be just heinous if Lane and LuPone were cast without showcasing their magnificent singing talents. Hopefully, as the film heads into production, we'll get more information about the film, most likely through some on-set photos or teaser footage.
Phoenix is coming off his Academy Award-winning performance in Joker, and has yet to be seen in another performance since. He's attached to several projects though, including Mike Mills' C'mon C'mon and Ridley Scott's Kitbag, an intimate biopic about the life of Napoleon Bonaparte. Phoenix was also just announced to reunite with director Lynne Ramsay on her next feature Polaris, which will also see him acting alongside his former Her co-star and partner Rooney Mara.
Both Ryan and Lane can be next seen in Only Murders in the Building, a Hulu comedy drama that follows three strangers who share an obsession with true crime, and inexplicably find themselves caught up in one. In the meantime, LuPone is set to return to Broadway with the gender-bent version of Stephen Sondheim's Company, which set its first performance for December of this year. Finally, Rogers has been cast in the remake of Cheaper by the Dozen as one of the 12 kids, which will also star Gabrielle Union and Zach Braff. This adaptation will mark the third film version of Cheaper by the Dozen.
Disappointment Blvd. will begin production soon, and we'll keep you updated on future news.