If you've seen a Yorgos Lanthimos movie, you know he can get weird, but he may be going to a whole other level with Poor Things, his new movie coming out in 2023. He's bringing an impressive cast along with him, as Emma Stone, Mark Ruffalo, Willem Dafoe and more star in the film.
Lanthimos is best known for his movies The Lobster, an off-kilter sci-fi movie, and The Favourite, a hilarious period piece, the latter of which starred Stone. With Poor Things, Lanthimos seems to be combining those two styles into a Frankenstein-like tale that we can bet is going to be weird, but hopefully in the best ways.
Here is everything that we know about Poor Things.
Poor Things release date
Poor Things is set to premiere on September 8. The movie is going to play exclusively in movie theaters when it is released.
Poor Things plot
Here is the official plot for Poor Things:
"From filmmaker Yorgos Lanthimos and producer Emma Stone comes the incredible tale and fantastical evolution of Bella Baxter, a young woman brought back to life by the brilliant and unorthodox scientist Dr. Godwin Baxter. Under Baxter's protection, Bella is eager to learn. Hungry for the worldliness she is lacking, Bella runs off with Duncan Wedderburn, a slick and debauched lawyer, on a whirlwind adventure across the continents. Free from the prejudices of her times, Bella grows steadfast in her purpose to stand for equality and liberation."
Tony McNamara wrote the script based on Alasdir Gray's novel of the same name. McNamara has previously worked with Lanthimos, penning the script for The Favourite, but he is also the creator of The Great and wrote the screenplay for Emma Stone's Cruella.
Poor Things cast
Emma Stone leads the cast of Poor Things as Bella Baxter. Stone is an Oscar-winning actress, earning a Best Actress trophy for her performance in La La Land. Among her other well-known roles are the aforementioned Cruella and The Favourite, as well as Battle of the Sexes, Birdman, The Help, Crazy, Stupid, Love, Easy A and Zombieland.
A pair of Oscar-nominated actors are also joining Stone as part of the cast: Mark Ruffalo and Willem Dafoe. Ruffalo is playing Duncan Wedderburn and Dafoe is playing the scientist Dr. Godwin Baxter. Fans will best know Ruffalo from playing Bruce Banner/the Hulk in the MCU, as well as from movies like The Adam Project, Spotlight and Begin Again. Dafoe is also an MCU alum, playing the Green Goblin in Spider-Man: No Way Home (as well as in the original Tobey Maguire Spider-Man movies), but he is also known for The Northman, The Lighthouse, The Florida Project, The Grand Budapest Hotel and The Boondock Saints.
Other members of the Poor Things cast include a pair of popular comedian/actors in Ramy Youssef (Ramy) and Jerrod Carmichael (Rothaniel), as well as indie movie regular Christopher Abbott (The Forgiven).
Poor Things trailer
Searchlight Pictures has released a teaser trailer for Poor Things, which just gives us a glimpse at the vast and strange sandbox that Lanthimos and company are playing in.
Yorgos Lanthimos movies
Lanthimos has made a name for himself with US audiences in the last few years, but the Greek filmmaker was being heralded before he made the move to Hollywood, particularly with movies like Dogtooth. Here is a full look at his feature directing credits to date:
- O kalyteros mou filos (2001)
- Kinetta (2005)
- Dogtooth (2009)
- Alps (2011)
- The Lobster (2015)
- The Killing of a Sacred Deer (2017)
- The Favourite (2018)
