See Joaquin Phoenix As A Child In Mysterious New Movie From Midsommar Director
Ari Aster and A24 are teaming up once again to make movie magic, this time with Joaquin Phoenix in the lead. The critically acclaimed indie production company Tweeted a minimalist poster of what looks to be Phoenix’s character as a young boy with the title Beau is Afraid. It’s been confirmed that Beau is Afraid is the new title of the film Aster previously announced as Disappointment Blvd.
Along with learning about Joaquin Phoenix’s starring role, we also learn that the project is coming out next year. This will be the third feature from Ari Aster and his third film with A24 after making the critically acclaimed Hereditary and Midsommar with the studio. However, unlike those two films, this will not be a horror movie.
Aster previously told IndieWire that the film would not be horror, but added “I love horror and I’m sure I’ll be back.” The plot details are being kept under wraps for now, but the film is reportedly a life portrait of one of the most successful entrepreneurs of all time. In addition to Joaquin Phoenix, the film stars Nathan Lane, Stephen McKinley Henderson, Patti LuPone, Amy Ryan, and Parker Posey.
Joaquin Phoenix and Ari Aster are undoubtedly a winning combination, and it’ll be interesting to see what kind of film Beau is Afraid ends up being. We’ll also get to see Phoenix return to one of his biggest roles with Joker: Folie a Deux in 2024. Todd Philipps will once again return to write and direct the Joker sequel.
Along with Joaquin Phoenix, Joker: Folie a Deux will star Zazie Beetz, Brendan Gleeson, Catherine Keener, Jacob Lofland, Harry Lawtey, and Lady Gaga as Harley Quinn. Plot details are being kept under wraps, but the last film ended with Phoenix’s Arthur Fleck in Arkham Asylum. If Harley Quinn’s origin in this film is similar to her origin in Batman: The Animated Series, this is likely where we’ll see the two characters meet.
Joaquin Phoenix’s other big upcoming role will see him reunite with his Gladiator director Ridley Scott for the film Napoleon. The film will follow Phoenix as Napoleon Bonaparte and chronicle his origins, his rise to power, and his tumultuous relationship with his wife Josephine. Vanessa Kirby will play Josephine with the rest of the cast rounded out by Ben Miles, Matthew Needham, Ludivine Sagnier, Tahar Rahim, and Youssef Kerkour.
The last time we saw Joaquin Phoenix was in the 2021 A24 film C’mon C’mon, which was written and directed by Mike Mills. This was another critical success, with particular praise given for Phoenix’s performance. With Phoenix’s three upcoming films all being prestige dramas, there is plenty of room for more top-notch performances and a chance for Phoenix to net his second Oscar.
There’s no official release date yet for Beau is Afraid, but there’s sure to be more information released about the film soon. Hopefully, we’ll get a trailer so we can get a glimpse at Joaquin Phoenix’s character and what Ari Aster has in store for us. Until then, stay tuned for more about Phoenix and his upcoming projects.
