She might have been snubbed at the 2022 Oscar ceremony for her perfect performance of Princess Diana in Spencer, but Kristen Stewart certainly wasn’t put off grabbing an audience’s attention. Now, she’s gearing up to do it in a different way: playing the love interest of a lesbian bodybuilder in A24’s Love Lies Bleeding, the trailer for which has just dropped.
From Rose Glass, the director and twisted mind behind Saint Maud, Love Lies Bleeding is set in the ultra-competitive world of bodybuilding. According to World of Reel, who received the unverified tip off, the visceral reactions came from “the gore, blood and puking throughout” — nice! They went on to say the film has “a strange ending that will make this a love it or hate it type movie”, calling it “Pain & Gain for indie lesbians”.”
While K-Stew has dabbled in thrillers previously, the actor’s chosen projects seem to be getting progressively darker, not counting queer Christmas romcom Happiest Season, but definitely counting David Cronenberg’s controversial Crimes of the Future.
So what else do we know about the film? More pertinently, when can we watch it? Here are the facts so far.
What is the plot of Love Lies Bleeding?
According to A24, the film’s plot is as follows: “Reclusive gym manager Lou falls hard for Jackie, an ambitious bodybuilder headed through town to Vegas in pursuit of her dream. But their love ignites violence, pulling them deep into the web of Lou’s criminal family.”
So what do we know about Kristen Stewart’s character?
All we know about K-Stew’s character in Love Lies Bleeding is that she won’t be playing a muscle woman herself; Lou is a gym manager and “the protective lover of a female bodybuilder”.
Who else is in the cast?
Opposite Kristen playing Jackie, the film’s apparent lead, is The Mandalorian actor and martial artist Katy O’Brian. Dave Franco (If Beale Street Could Talk, 21 Jump Street, the man has range), Jena Malone (Sucker Punch, a couple of Hunger Games movies), Ed Harris (The Truman Show) and Dickinson actor Anna Baryshnikov also appear.
Is there a trailer or any first look images?
In December 2023, A24 dropped the first image of Kristen and Katy in character as bodybuilder Jackie and her lover Lou, sat against the roof of a car. We also have a few behind-the-scenes piccies of Kristen on set in a very queer-coded look of a sleeveless vest, baggy jeans and a mullet. The trailer came on 19 December, which frames the film as a high-octane thriller.
Who is behind the camera?
The script was co-written by Rose Glass and Weronika Tofilska, and will be produced and globally released by A24.
When is the release date?
The film will be released on 8 March 2024, following its world premiere at the Sundance Film Festival 2024.