Following the award-winning success of “The Brutalist,” Academy Award-nominated writer-director Brady Corbet sounds like he has something equally ambitious, if not more momentous, lined up for his next film. Speaking at Storyhouse in Dublin, Corbet described the project as being about “American mysticism” and “the history of the occult in America,” adding that he has been reading heavily on cult belief systems and working with occult historian Mitch Horowitz.
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“My new film is a film that is sort of about American mysticism and the history of the occult in America, and I’ve been reading tons and tons of material about the migration of the cultist belief systems and structures,” Corbet said (via Deadline). “I’ve started working with this fascinating guy called Mitch Horowitz, who is an occultist historian of America.”
That new description arrives alongside a separate piece of casting chatter now attached to the project. Selena Gomez (“Emilia Perez“) is reportedly set to star in the film, with The InSneider, identifying the project as “The Origin of the World.” There has not been a studio announcement attached to that report, so for now it still sits in the report-and-rumor category rather than as confirmed casting.
Corbet also suggested the scale has not gotten any smaller after “The Brutalist.” He said the new film is built around a 200-page script and a 50-day shoot. “It’s basically two, 25-day shoots for 100 pages,” he said. “So, I don’t know. I’ll report back in a few months.”
And if that 200-page script holds anywhere close to form, Corbet could be looking at something in the neighborhood of three hours and 20 minutes on the page. That does not guarantee a final runtime, obviously, but it is another sign that whatever he is making next will not sound like a modest comedown after “The Brutalist.”
Rodrigo Perez is the founder and editor-in-chief of The Playlist, which he launched in 2008. He has worked in entertainment journalism since 2000, including at MTV, and has written for SPIN, IndieWire, Pitchfork, Complex, Magnet, and various music, film, and entertainment publications over the past two decades.
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