Celine Song’s “Past Lives” was all the rage at Sundance 2023. It went on to get Best Picture nominated at Oscars. Whatever Song did next was going to be met with a lot of anticipation, especially by critics who have been nothing but consistent in their overwhelming praise for “Past Lives.”
Last fall, A24 hopped on-board Song’s post-Past Lives project. I had originally reported that her sophomore effort would be titled “Materialists” — A24 is backing this one. It was supposed to shoot in September, but A24 decided to stand strong with the SAG-AFTRA strike, despite having the go-ahead to shoot. It’s now being reported that “Materialists” has begun filming in NYC.
The film stars Dakota Johnson, Pedro Pascal (him again) and Chris Evans. Today, all three actors could be seen shooting their scenes on the NYC set of Song’s sophomore effort.
In a recent interview with GQ, Song and producer Christine Vachon were very hush-hush about “Materialists”, stingy with details, but Vachon offered us a hint as to 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 “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 “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, but maybe it’ll work? Although a late 2024 release is a possibility, we can probably expect this one to show up in 2025.