Gregg Araki‘s first film in a decade is newsworthy enough, but casting arguably the world’s biggest current pop superstar in it? That’s a whole other level of hype. And that’s exactly what Araki has done, as Charli XCX is the latest to join the cast of his upcoming “I Want Your Sex.” Is it any surprise that this is how the British music icon caps off “Brat Summer”? Maybe in the sense that Charli XCX is new to acting, but let’s face it: since “brat” dropped in June, it’s Charli’s world, and the rest of us are just living in it. This news should shock no one.
READ MORE: ‘I Want Your Sex’: Cooper Hoffman To Star Opposite Olivia Wilde In Gregg Araki’s New Film
Charli XCX joins Olivia Wilde and Cooper Hoffman in the upcoming thriller, about a young man who becomes the sexual muse for a famous female artist (who’s also his boss); obviously things get out of hand fast. Araki co-pens the script with Karly Sciortino after the pair worked together on “Now Apocalypse.” Read on for an official synopsis:
How far is too far? When fresh-faced Elliot (Hoffman) lands an exciting job for renowned artist, icon and provocateur Erika Tracy (Wilde), his fantasies come true as Erika taps him to become her sexual muse. But Elliot soon finds himself out of his depth as Erika takes him on a journey more profound than he ever could have imagined, into a world of sex, obsession, power, betrayal and murder. Featuring outrageous characters and a playful sense of humor, I Want Your Sex will upend expectations in a way that will both shock and delight!
Sound great to anyone else? Araki’s filmography is full of provocative films like “I Want Your Sex,” but the leads, plus Charli XCX’s involvement, make this thriller especially intriguing. It’s also worth noting that the project is just the second time acting role for the music artist. The other one? “How To Blow Up A Pipeline” director Daniel Goldhaber‘s upcoming remake of “Faces Of Death,” another super-intriguing movie. That one also stars Barbie Ferreira, Dacre Montgomery, Josie Totah, and Jermaine Fowler. As for who Charli plays in “Faces Of Death,” details are being kept under wraps for now, but expect confirmation once the film has an official release date.
But back to “I Want Your Sex.” Araka will start shooting the film in LA in October, so expect it to hit a festival sometime next year. Araki and Sciortino lead producers with Seth Caplan and Black Bear‘s Teddy Schwarzman and Micahel Heimler. A Black Bear team also leads executive producers, including John Friedberg, Joanne Robert Wiles, and Courtney L. Cunniff. Arlie Day and Mike Page are also on board as associate producers, as well as casting the picture.
With “I Want Your Sex” and “Faces Of Death’ on the way, expect Charli XCX’s “Brat Summer” to grow into a “Brat Year,” maybe even a “Brat Era.” Over a decade into her musical career, Charli is emerging as a multi-hyphenate artist with a vast swath of influence all over pop culture. Along with her six studio albums, “brat” being the latest, Charli is also involved musically in several upcoming film and TV projects. She’s co-executive producing the score for David Lowery‘s upcoming “Mother Mary” at A24, and producing original music for Benito Skinner‘s “Overcompensating” at Prime Video (and also serves as an executive producer on the series). She’s also contributed music for the soundtracks of “Barbie,” “The Fault In Our Stars,” and “Bodies Bodies Bodies.”
So when should Araki fans expect “I Want Your Sex” in theaters? Mid-late 2025 is the best guess, and considering the film is Araki’s first since 2014’s “White Bird In A Blizzard,” expect it to get a world premiere at a major festival. And Charli XCX’s involvement will only make the film’s theatrical rollout even grander, so anticipate “I Want Your Sex” being one of the movie events of next year.
