‘The Catch’: Emma Stone’s First Post-Lanthimos Movies Brings in ‘Memoria’ DP Sayombhu Mukdeeprom

Universal Pictures recently dated “The Catch” for May 21, 2027—a summer release and a strong sign of confidence in this non-IP rom-com starring Emma Stone and Chris Pine. The rest of the ensemble includes Tim Robbins, Sissy Spacek, Ashley Padilla and… Druski?

The film, which started production this summer, has wrapped, and with that comes the news that Sayombhu Mukdeeprom served as cinematographer on this Emma Stone–produced movie. She sure knows how to pick talent.

Mukdeeprom is well known on the arthouse circuit for his work with Apichatpong Weerasethakul (“Syndromes and a Century,” “Memoria” and “Uncle Boonmee Who Can Recall His Past Lives”), and he also shot three Guadagnino films (“Call Me by Your Name,” “Queer” and “Suspiria”). He’s an immense talent.

Mukdeeprom shoots almost exclusively on film. His work ranges from Apichatpong's slow, dreamlike long takes to the stylized work in Guadagnino’s films. It will be fascinating to see that painterly eye applied to a studio rom-com.

Now, what is “The Catch” actually about? Stone plays a baseball fan who accidentally touches a ball at the wall, turning it into a home run and costing her team a crucial game. The film follows her as she navigates the unexpected attention, the backlash and the overwhelming guilt over her catch.

In other words, Stone’s character will most likely be loosely inspired by Steve Bartman, whose moment of infamy became a national talking point and a lasting symbol of fan involvement gone wrong.

So, what could possibly entice Stone to take on this project, which happens to be her first rom-com in over a decade? Well, “The Catch” is directed by Dave McCary, who also happens to be Stone’s husband. Makes sense. McCary has directed only one other feature—2017’s “Brigsby Bear,” which, truth be told, was a small-scale, amusing Sundance indie.

Stone is a two-time Oscar winner, not to mention a six-time acting nominee, and she’s only 37. Coming off “Bugonia,” and with her go-to director, Yorgos Lanthimos, taking a much-needed break, she probably had an assortment of promising projects to choose from. This is her first post-Lanthimos project.