CinemaCon – the annual convention of film exhibitors – always proves to be a fountain of information regarding upcoming releases, as studios and distributors seek to get theatre owners and chains excited about their future wares. This year’s event has not disappointed – particularly since Paramount has finally begun to drop some hints about the Darren Aronofsky-Jennifer Lawrence collaboration we’ve been hearing rumours about for such a long time. We now know the film will be called Mother!, and will arrive in time for Halloween.
The reason this project is so highly anticipated is that it represents both a break from the established ‘norm’ for Darren Aronofsky, as well as a return to past success. The director has a tendency to return to the some collaborators multiple times – including Jennifer Connelly, Ellen Burstyn, Mark Margolis, and composer Clint Mansell. This time, however, the filmmaker will be working with Johann Johannsson for the original score, and a whole new swathe of actors in the cast. Academy Award winner Jennifer Lawrence takes the lead, and is joined by Javier Bardem, Michelle Pfeiffer, Domhnall Gleeson, Ed Harris, and Kristen Wiig.
The film will also be a return to past success in that it will be a psychological horror, almost certainly in the vein of 2010’s Black Swan. Chief of Domestic Distribution for Paramount, Kyle Davies, confirmed the broad plot description that has been attributed to Mother!
“A couple’s relationship is tested when uninvited guests arrive at their home, disrupting their tranquil existence.”
Being such a mysterious project from such an acclaimed and fascinating writer-director, we can expect a great deal of speculation to swirl around this upcoming release. The news that it is a horror tale will undoubtedly beg the question of the identity of the titular “mother,” and how this will create psychological torment. If the legendary Michelle Pfeiffer fills that role the prospect is certainly an exciting one – but with a cast list as impressive as this, the true nature of Mother! really is anyone’s guess.