Director Ari Aster takes April Fools Day seriously.
On Saturday fans arrived at the Alamo Drafthouse in New York City anticipating a director’s cut of Aster’s Midsommar with a special extended trailer for Beau Is Afraid. But alas they were tricked. Instead, the audience was greeted by Aster and Joaquin Phoenix and treated to a surprise screening of Aster’s latest film, Beau Is Afraid. The A24 film follows a very paranoid Beau (Phoenix) on an eccentric journey to visit his mother. It isn’t due in theaters until April 21 making Saturday’s diehard Midsommar fans the first general audience to watch the film.
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Per Variety, after the nearly three-hour-long screening Aster returned for a Q&A moderated by Emma Stone where she asked, “Are you okay, man?”
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During a Q&A that sounds almost as odd as the film itself, he revealed that Phoenix fainted while shooting a scene with Patti LuPone.
“I was really pissed ’cause it was a really good take. It felt confusing so I went around the corner and he was collapsed,” said Aster. He also explained his vision for the film: “I want you to go through his guts and come out of his butt.”
If that doesn’t sell you on the film, I don’t know what will. Pour one out for the fans that just really wanted to see the director’s cut of Midsommar!
