Yorgos Lanthimos has never been afraid to make his audience uncomfortable. But after the brutal black comedy and misanthropy of his indie hits — like psycho-horror thriller The Killing of a Sacred Deer or the outrageous period drama, The Favourite — his latest project, Poor Things, “a Victorian tale of love, discovery and scientific daring,” sounds positively whimsical. Or is it? Various indications, including the casting of Willem Dafoe, an actor famed for playing weird little guys, as well as the weird AF trailers, seem to suggest otherwise.
Yorgos is crazy for this one, with the film being described as a feminist version of Frankenstein, adapted from the 1992 Alasdair Gray novel (also titled Poor Things) by The Favourite screenwriter Tony McNamara. So what’s the actual plot of this thing? Who else is having their star turn in it? And is it still likely to be released this year? Here’s everything you need to know.
What’s the plot of Poor Things?
The official plotline released by Searchlight reads as follows:
From filmmaker Yorgos Lanthimos and producer Emma Stone comes the incredible tale and fantastical evolution of Bella Baxter (Stone), a young woman brought back to life by the brilliant and unorthodox scientist Dr. Godwin Baxter (Willem Dafoe). Under Baxter’s protection, Bella is eager to learn. Hungry for the worldliness she is lacking, Bella runs off with Duncan Wedderburn (Mark Ruffalo), a slick and debauched lawyer, on a whirlwind adventure across the continents. Free from the prejudices of her times, Bella grows steadfast in her purpose to stand for equality and liberation.
Who’s in the cast?
The film’s cast includes Emma Stone, Willem Dafoe, Mark Ruffalo, Margaret Qualley, Christopher Abbott, Ramy Youssef, Jerrod Carmichael, Kathryn Hunter and more.
Have any photos or a trailer for the film been released yet?
We’ve got photos and three trailers! Emma’s swapped her red hair for a morose dark wig, and something is up with Willem’s face. WTF. The first teaser is just over half a minute of campy strangeness, but the two trailers which have dropped since give us a proper introduction to the quirky characters of Lanthimos’ latest nightmarish creation.
In the official trailer, we meet Emma’s Bella Baxter within the first few seconds, bleating like a sheep and roaming around barefoot; pursued by a creature that appears to be a duck’s head sewn onto a dog’s body. Willem Dafoe’s narration explains that Bella herself is an experiment, whose brain function is not quite in step with her body’s.
“Tell me, where did she come from?” asks Ramy Youssef’s Max McCandless. “I shall,” says Willem’s Dr. Goodwin Baxter, “for it is a happy tale.” Are we sure about that? A swirl of violence, vivid colours and elaborate fashion, you’ll need to watch it for yourself.
Why is Poor Things rated R?
Apparently the film was slapped with an R-rating, for “strong and pervasive sexual content, graphic nudity, disturbing material, gore, and language.” Yorgos, you didn’t!
What is the release date of Poor Things?
Poor Things is set to premiere on 8 December. The film was originally supposed to bow shortly after its Venice premiere but was pushed back due to the ongoing SAG-AFTRA strikes. December release? A new festive classic is upon us!