What happened to “Bucking Fastard”? That’s one of the main questions I received this morning regarding the Cannes lineup. Turns out, Werner Herzog’s film, which was initially tipped for competition, might be announced very soon as a late addition.
Inside this morning’s Press Kit, the film is listed as screening in the Cannes Première section. If we are to believe this little slip-up, and nothing has changed since, then an announcement is inevitably coming (hat tip to Alexandre Janowiak for alerting me to this).
Herzog completed filming on “Bucking Fastard” in May 2025. The film stars Kate and Rooney Mara as twin sisters, Joan and Jean, who live on the margins of society.
The story is inspired by the real-life Freda and Greta Chaplin, twin sisters who made headlines in the early 1980s after developing an intense and disturbing fixation on their neighbor. Their behavior ultimately led to a court-issued restraining order. The film’s unusual title reportedly stems from a verbal slip both twins made simultaneously during court proceedings, according to The Film Stage.
In his memoir “Every Man for Himself and God Against All,” Herzog explained his fascination with the Chaplins: “In 1981, they briefly appeared in the British tabloids as the ‘sex-crazed twins’—obsessed with a lorry driver to the point that legal action was taken. Their tale is remarkable. As far as we know, they’re the only identical twins who speak in perfect unison.”
With a legendary career spanning over five decades, Herzog has directed 20 narrative features and 34 documentaries. His notable films include “Aguirre, the Wrath of God,” “Fitzcarraldo,” “Lessons of Darkness,” and “Grizzly Man.”
This is set to be Herzog’s first narrative feature since 2019. I consider his 2009 film “Bad Lieutenant: Port of Call New Orleans,” featuring Nicolas Cage in a memorably unhinged performance, to be his last great work of fiction. Here’s hoping this latest one is worthy of his name.
