‘Tis the season for top 10 lists and you’ll definitely be seeing one title included on hundreds of them: Celine Song’s “Past Lives.”
The critically acclaimed indie was all the rage at this past January’s Sundance Film Festival. I know there are readers who found “Past Lives” to be “overrated,” and they might have a decent argument for that to be the case, but you can’t deny the immense presence it will have this awards season.
A24 has hopped on-board Song’s next film. I had originally reported that her sophomore effort would be titled “The Materialists”. She’s already written the script and A24 is backing it.
In an interview with GQ, Song and producer Christine Vachon were very hush-hush about “The Materialists”, stingy with details, but Vachon offered us a hint of what to expect: “It feels like she makes a different movie every time, that she’s going to be the kind of a filmmaker who doesn’t make the same movie twice.”
There’s no need to leave this a mystery. I know what “The Materialists” is about, and it couldn’t be further connected to “Past Lives.” Vachon is right, Song is making a totally different film.
It turns out that “The Materialists” is a romcom inspired by James L. Brooks’s whip-smart films from the ‘80s (“Broadcast News,” “Terms of Endearment”). A formula that hasn’t aged that well in the 21st century. Here’s the synopsis:
Set against the vibrant backdrop of New York City, a city that never sleeps and is known for its diverse and dynamic relationships, “Materialists” provides a unique glimpse into the lives of the city’s elite. Lucy’s expertise in matchmaking is highly sought after by those willing to pay a premium for her services. However, the film hints at complications that arise, leading to a toxic love triangle that threatens to unravel the lives of all involved.
This is a fairly risky move on the part of Song, going from “Past Lives” to romcom territory for her next feature. The film is set to begin production in early 2024 — maybe it’ll get released in the fall. Casting details are being kept a secret, for now, but we should be getting those details soon.