There’s a major update on David Lowery’s “Mother Mary”: after more than two years, it appears to be finally finished and ready for release. Three posters for the film dropped this morning, stamped “In Theaters April.” A trailer arrives tomorrow, and I’ll share more about the film once it’s out.
The film stars Anne Hathaway and Michaela Coel, with Hunter Schafer in a supporting role. The soundtrack includes original music by Charli XCX, Jack Antonoff, and FKA Twigs.
Lowery has spent his career straddling two worlds: intimate arthouse projects (“A Ghost Story,” “Ain’t Them Bodies a Saint,” “The Green Knight”) and big-budget Disney fare (“Pete’s Dragon,” “Pan and Wendy”). “Mother Mary” seems to be associated with the first camp.
Then again, that logline on the poster — “This is Not a Ghost Story” — genuinely had me chuckling. Who thought it was a good idea to insert that into the promo material?
Based on test reactions, the story centers on Michaela Coel’s reclusive costume designer and Anne Hathaway’s disgraced pop star, former collaborators forced back together when Hathaway seeks outfits for a comeback tour. Most of the film keeps them arguing in a barn, with only brief performance shots. Hunter Schafer appears as Coel’s assistant for about ten minutes.
From what I’ve gathered, “Mother Mary” is almost entirely set in one location. It was called “bewildering” by one viewer. Not much happens; it’s a “movie about nothing.” At last year’s Melbourne International Film Festival, Lowery gave a rare update, sounding as baffled as anyone: he “sighed deeply” and called it “a weird, weird film.”
Very curious to see the trailer, here’s hoping the film isn’t the mess it’s being hinted at. in the meantime you can see the posters released below
