Taylor Russell Joins Brady Corbet's ‘The Origin of the World'

The ensemble keeps growing.

Taylor Russell ("Bones and All," "Waves") has joined Brady Corbet's "The Origin of the World." Her role is being kept under wraps.

Russell joins an already impressive cast. So far — and this is only what's leaked out — "The Origin of the World" has Cate Blanchett, Michael Fassbender, Selena Gomez, Lily McInerny and Joe Alwyn. I'm hearing more names are part of this picture, but they have yet to be announced.

Production is underway in Portugal, where the film is shooting under the working title "Salt Flats." McInerny recently stepped into the lead role, replacing Sadie Soverall. No reason was given, but I had been told Corbet wasn't happy with the way things were going.

Corbet has described the project as being about American mysticism and the history of the occult in America. The story spans 150 years, from the 19th century to the present day, though it's predominantly focused on the 1970s. He's working from a 200-page script, plans an X-rated cut that runs roughly four hours, and is shooting on 8-perf 65mm cameras. Daniel Blumberg, who won the Oscar for Best Original Score for "The Brutalist," is returning.

Corbet has called the film experimental, elemental and centered on the body, and has said it will again deal with migration, just not in the way people might expect. It's been described as a Western epic about Northern California immigration, and the shoot was planned for 50 days across Portugal and South Africa, with the script potentially being trimmed from its current length.

This is a great get for Russell, who's been choosing her projects carefully. She's also set to star opposite David Jonsson in Frank Ocean's directorial debut for A24. Here's an actress who has worked with auteurs like Luca Guadagnino and Trey Edward Shults, and this feels like a natural fit for whatever Corbet is cooking up.

No studio is attached yet. Corbet is financing the film independently, with A24, Neon and Mubi floated as potential distributors, and a 2027 release is possible.