Ari Aster may only have two feature films under his belt as a director, but he’s already proven himself to be one of the most unique and distinctive voices in horror, with fans eagerly waiting to see what he comes up with next.
Both Hereditary and Midsmommar received widespread critical acclaim, holding 89% and 83% scores on Rotten Tomatoes respectively, while they also did big business at the box office after combining to earn almost $130 million on total production costs of $19 million, made all the more impressive by the fact that neither is exactly what you’d call a straightforward horror movie by any stretch of the imagination.
His next effort behind the camera is shaping up to be the most ambitious yet, with the 34 year-old adapting his six-minute short film Beau into what he’s described as a four-hour nightmare comedy, and Joaquin Phoenix entered talks to star in Beau is Afraid in November. However, Aster has also moved into producing since launching company Square Peg back in June 2019, and we’ve now learned from our sources – the same ones who told us a new Exorcist is in development and that the Scream franchise was getting a fifth installment, both of which were correct – that Adam Sandler is in talks to star in a new horror project called Dream Scenario, which Aster will produce.
The plot follows a university professor who starts appearing in the dreams of people all over the world, and after initially leveraging it for fame, he soon distances himself from the phenomenon when things begin taking a much more sinister turn. That’s one hell of a hook for what sounds like an inventive high concept horror, and could signal another shift into uncharted territory for the star should he sign on. After all, we’re told that while he is in talks, a deal hasn’t been finalized yet.
Having received rave reviews for his work in Uncut Gems, though, the 54 year-old is now set for Netflix’s existential sci-fi drama The Spaceman of Bohemia, and it seems like we could be on the verge of seeing Adam Sandler challenge himself as an actor on a much more regular basis than ever before.
