Hey, look at that — Ari Aster’s back.
Aster has now settled on what his next project will be. Sources tell Deadline that Aster is set to write and direct “Scapegoat,” starring Scarlett Johansson. A24, which backed Aster’s first four films, will be behind this project again.
As with all Aster films, plot details are being kept tightly under wraps. So let the “Scapegoat” theories begin.
Aster spent the first half of 2025 writing “Scapegoat,” with Johansson in mind the entire time. She’s an Oscar nominee with a very busy shooting schedule in 2026, including Mike Flanagan’s ‘Exorcist’ as well as shooting “The Batman: Part II” this summer. “Scapegoat” has accommodated all that and will be shooting in the fall.
Back in October, Aster noted that his first two films (“Hereditary” and “Midsommar”) “were better received than my second two” (“Beau Is Afraid” and “Eddington”), and that it was “devastating” to him.
Aster once quipped that he couldn’t believe A24 was “stupid enough” to give him $35M to make “Beau Is Afraid.” They shelled out another $30M for “Eddington,” which also failed to ignite. Maybe that’s the end of that partnership. Bless their twisted hearts, they are back again for another dip into Aster-world.
More curiously, at the time Aster mentioned three possibilities for his next film — a “spiritual sequel” to “Eddington,” a horror movie, and a sci-fi adaptation. He was “trying to determine the right thing to do next.” “Scapegoat” could be any of these three.
It’s hard not to root for him. In an era where so few filmmakers are allowed to play with real budgets and real ambition, Aster remains one of the few U.S. directors swinging for the fences. Say what you will about “Beau Is Afraid” and “Eddington” — they’re not safe. They’re not algorithm-friendly. They’re Ari Aster.