László Nemes Sets 2026 Shoot for Cormac McCarthy’s ‘Outer Dark,’ Starring Jacob Elordi and Lily-Rose Depp [Updated]

UPDATE: Good Chaos CEO and founder Mike Goodridge has confirmed that the film is set to shoot in 2026. I had my doubts about this project ever happening, but Elordi and Depp — both with busy schedules — have made it a priority.

Since the project was first announced, Nemes has premiered “Orphan” at the Venice Film Festival. The film still has no U.S. distributor. Nemes has already completed his next project, “Moulin,” which is expected to premiere next year — possibly at Cannes.

EARLIER: Here’s an interesting new project stirring up interest in Cannes this year. I could easily see a distributor like Neon or Mubi picking this one up.

“Outer Dark,” an adaptation of Cormac McCarthy’s 1968 novel, has found its stars in Jacob Elordi and Lily-Rose Depp. The film marks the English-language debut of “Son of Saul” director László Nemes.

A bleak and mythic tale set in Depression-era Appalachia, “Outer Dark” follows a young woman who gives birth to her brother’s child. The brother abandons the infant in the forest, falsely claiming it died naturally. Upon discovering the truth, the sister sets out in search of her child — while a trio of ominous figures trails the siblings, leaving a wake of horror as they move through the rural South.

Though Nemes hasn’t released a film in seven years — his last was 2018’s “Sunset” — he now has two projects in development and a new film already in the can.

Nemes, who co-wrote the “Outer Dark” script with longtime collaborator Clara Royer, has his upcoming drama “Orphan” set to hit the fall festival circuit this year. He is also preparing to shoot “Moulin,” a French-language WWII epic about resistance hero Jean Moulin, starring Gilles Lellouche.

Both Elordi and Depp are coming off major career highs. Depp recently starred in the Oscar-nominated “Nosferatu,” while Elordi will next appear in a string of high-profile films including Guillermo del Toro’s “Frankenstein,” Emerald Fennell’s “Wuthering Heights,” and Ridley Scott’s “Dog Stars.”

McCarthy’s work has long carried a strong cinematic legacy, with acclaimed adaptations like “No Country for Old Men” and “The Road.” There’s also a “Blood Meridian” film in development, set to be directed by John Hillcoat. Meanwhile, Jeff Nichols is working on adapting McCarthy’s final two novels, “Stella Maris” and “The Passenger.”