Anticipation has been mouthwatering for the upcoming black comedy horror The Menu from Searchlight Pictures, and the studio has now released a pair of promotional clips showing off some new footage from the film The film's star-studded cast is led by Anya Taylor-Joy and Nicholas Hoult, who play young couple Margot and Tyler. The latter is a high profile food influencer, and convinces Margot to travel with him to a remote island restaurant helmed by the mysterious celebrity chef Slowik (Ralph Fiennes). The pair arrive with a large group of other guests to the restaurant, Hawthorne, expecting to simply have a lavish meal. However, as the film progresses, it becomes clear that the chef has some more sinister motives behind his restaurant, with Searchlight noting that Slowik will prepare "some shocking surprises" for his unsuspecting visitors.
The first clip shows off Margot and Tyler as the couple prepare for their meal at Hawthorne. While Tyler tells his girlfriend that the chef "[plays] with the raw material of life itself and death itself," Margot seems less than impressed with the whole spectacle. He does not give up his efforts to try and convince her, though, telling Margot, "It's art on the edge of the abyss, which is where God works." He appears to be so taken back by the experience that he even starts crying. Additional footage shows the beginnings of the dinner appearing to spiral out of control, with flames, screaming, and customers appearing to run for their lives. Margot is also seen demanding to know "what the hell is going on."
The second clip released by Searchlight shows off another pair of guests at Hawthorne, Felicity (Aimee Carrero), who appears to be a Hollywood publicist-type traveling to the restaurant with an unnamed movie star (John Leguizamo). Leguizamo's character seems to be somewhat of the demanding type, as he tells Felicity to "make sure people don't bother me." Once meeting Slowik, though, the movie star seems to be put on edge, with the chef telling him that "the memory of your face in that film ... haunts me." Some additional footage from the initial clip is also shown, with more terrified screams and uneasy guests. It seems that the chef may not have been such a big fan of the movie star's film, as Leguizamo's character can be seen telling Slowik, "Look, I didn't direct it, I just acted in it!"
Beyond Taylor-Joy, Hoult, Fiennes, Carrero and Leguizamo, The Menu is rounded out by a large ensemble cast, many of whom play additional guests at the restaurant. This includes notable names such as Judith Light, Hong Chau, Janet McTeer, Arturo Castro, Rob Lang, Mark St. Cyr, Paul Adelstein and Reed Birney. It seems many of these characters will be in for a fright, as overlaid text in both of the clips changes from "food influencers and movie stars dine here" to something a bit more eerie: "Food influencers and movie stars die here."
The Menu was directed by Mark Mylod, known for his work as an executive producer and director on the HBO smash-hit series Succession. Mylod helmed the project from a screenplay penned by Seth Reiss and Will Tracy, the latter of whom was also a writer on Succession. The film was produced by Adam McKay, Betsy Koch and Will Ferrell through their respective production houses Hyperobject Industries and Gary Sanchez Productions, with Searchlight boarding as distributor.
The Menu had its world premiere at the Toronto International Film Festival in September, and the public can sink their teeth into the film upon its theatrical release on Nov. 18. Check out the new clips below: