Casey Affleck has been quiet in recent years, with only “Oppenheimer,” “Slingshot,” and “The Instigators” as his acting credits over the past three years. In terms of directing, it’s been even longer: seven years since Affleck’s sophomore feature, “Light Of My Life,” from 2019. That’s not the case anymore, as Affleck has “Company,” his third directing gig, ready for a world premiere in competition at this year’s Venice Film Festival, where the film will vie against new films from Danny Boyle, Martin McDonagh, Lee Chang-dong, and more.
Set over a single night in 1975, “Company” sees a wintry holiday gathering get interrupted by a mysterious woman who recounts the tale from 22 years before, which coils into another, and another, braiding a mosaic of stories filled with lessons on grief, vengeance, and compassion.
Here’s an official synopsis for “Company,” courtesy of Image Nation Studios:
On a winter night in 1975, a mysterious woman named Evelyn arrives uninvited at a holiday gathering and tells the story of Tom, an aging hermit who rescues a stranded actress during a Colorado blizzard in 1953. To pass the night, the actress recounts an older tale of a farming couple who take in a troubled young drifter as a series of grisly murders spreads fear across the frontier. As the stories intertwine across generations, Company becomes a meditation on grief, vengeance, forgiveness, and the quiet acts of compassion that can heal even the deepest wounds.
“Company” stars Nick Nolte, Adelaide Clemens, Ben Mendelsohn, Scoot McNairy, Emily Alyn Lind, and Caylee Cowan.
Along with directing, Affleck also co-writes “Company” with Ron Hansen. Producers include Steven Schneider and Roy Lee via Spooky Features, Catherine Caylee Cowan, Dan Lawler, Affleck, Sean Patrick O’Reilly, K. Asher Levin, Enzo Marc, and Anthony Katagas. Executive producers include Ben Ross via Image Nation Studios, Rami Yasin for Spooky Pictures, Ronnie Exley and Jeremy Ross via Rabbits Black, Ron McLeod, Dr. Terence Chan, Brian Meng, and Maria Breese for 3:33 Creative Productions, and Jonathan Miller.
Expect a distributor to pick up “Company” for a late-2026 theatrical release, especially if the film scores high with critics. As for Affleck’s next acting gig, that comes in Doug Liman‘s upcoming film “Bitcoin.”
Stay tuned for more details on “Company” as the Venice Film Festival inches closer to its opening night.
