Death Of A Unicorn Cast, Director, Writer, And More Details

Whether attaining ample amounts of critical acclaim or earning big at the arthouse box office, there is no denying that A24 movies have a reputation for delivering a unique cinematic experience. After making a name for itself with hits such as "Hereditary," "Moonlight," and "Uncut Gems," the well-renowned entertainment company will be looking to add another fascinating title to its roster with "Death of a Unicorn," a dark horror-comedy combo with a twisted take on the titular mythical creature.

While A24 films are known for showcasing excellence in several areas like the script or cinematography, their endeavors rarely disappoint when it comes to attracting talent, and "Death of a Unicorn" is no exception. For its starring role, the intriguing motion picture recruited the star of the "Ant-Man" franchise, Paul Rudd, who will be joined by fellow headliner Jenna Ortega, known for her work leading the way in the very popular "Wednesday" series on Netflix.

Even though the demise of a mythical horned horse may come off like a tragedy, the big names attached to the A24 title arguably make the "Death of a Unicorn" sound like the kind of thing fans will not want to miss out on.

Watching Paul Rudd and Jenna Ortega deal with the corpse of an infamous fantasy creature will probably jump to the top of everyone's watch list as soon as they hear about "Death of a Unicorn." As such, many would like to know when they can mark their calendars for the momentous occasion. Unfortunately, "Death of a Unicorn" does not have an official release date yet, but given how things have progressed, it seems people won't have to wait that long for the A24 film.

The film was one of the 39 projects allowed to shoot during the SAG-AFTRA strike. Filming began in July 2022 in Hungary and continued throughout the summer into the fall. Later, in November, it was revealed that production on "Death of a Unicorn" had been completed. The movie's progression could very well be a strong indicator of the possibility that the film could be released in 2024, but while it does seem like a safe bet, barring any unforeseen setbacks, it is only speculation at this point.

In the movie "Death of a Unicorn," the horror comedy's story follows Paul Rudd's character Elliot, a man who unexpectedly hits the fabled beast with his car on the way to a weekend retreat with his teenage daughter Riley, played by Jenna Ortega. The wilderness getaway, being dubbed a "crisis management summit," is being hosted by Elliot's boss, Dell Leopold, who also happens to be the super-rich CEO in charge of a major pharmaceutical company. 

The horned horse, unfortunately, does not survive the crash, and when Elliot and Riley bring the mystical carcass with them, it is ultimately discovered by Leopold and the rest of his nefarious family members, who immediately become enamored with the curative properties they can attain from the creature's supernatural parts. But they quickly learn that harvesting the sacred powers and abilities of the fantastical horned stallion comes with a hefty cost, one that Elliot, Riley, and the Leopolds were probably not expecting.

Anyone attending the horror comedy experience known as "Death of a Unicorn" is in for one star-studded evening because there are a number of talented names who have been attached to make up the cast of the A24 motion picture alongside Paul Rudd and Jenna Ortega. On November 3, a report from Deadline revealed that several individuals had been added to the roster, including Academy Award nominee Richard E. Grant, who is known for his efforts in "Loki" and "Saltburn." Will Poulter, known for his work in everything from "Dopesick" on Hulu to the MCU's "Guardians of the Galaxy Vol. 3," is in the film as well. 

Fans can also look forward to another big name in Téa Leoni, who is best known for projects such as "Bad Boys," "Jurassic Park III," and "Madam Secretary." Rounding out the star-studded roster is a slew of other recognizable names from a variety of hits, including Anthony Carrigan from "Barry," Sunita Mani from "GLOW," Jessica Hynes from "Shaun of the Dead," and Steve Park from "Asteroid City."

The person sitting in the director's chair for the A24 feature is the same individual tasked with writing the stirring horror comedy narrative. While Alex Scharfman has previous experience both writing and directing short films and other projects, "Death of a Unicorn" will be his full-length directorial debut and will mark his first foray into penning a screenplay for a feature. 

Despite the fact he may be a rookie when it comes to taking on writer-director duties, Scharfman has plenty of experience to bring to the table from his past efforts in the industry. Some of his earlier credits include working as a production executive on critically acclaimed movies like "The Witch" and "American Honey." He has also served as a producer for such notable endeavors as "Selah and the Spades," "Blow the Man Down," and "Resurrection," all of which are Certified Fresh on Rotten Tomatoes.

Another big name attached to the A24 title is legendary filmmaker John Carpenter. The man celebrated for directing iconic horror movies like the original "Halloween," "The Thing," and "Escape From New York" is also known for being a gifted composer. Carpenter was the master behind the soundtracks and scores for his films as well as several other horror titles he wasn't in the director's chair for, including the reboots of "Firestarter" and the "Halloween" trilogy. He can now add "Death of a Unicorn" to his list of composer credits. 

However, this particular composing gig will be a bit different than his other efforts in the field of making movie music, as it will mark his first time working on a horror comedy. The outlandish premise will most assuredly require a chilling soundtrack with a hint of horrifying humor that a genius of the genre like Carpenter can easily provide. However, he will not be alone in taking on this challenge, as Carpenter will compose the film alongside his son Cody Carpenter and Daniel A. Davies, who also worked on the new "Halloween" and "Firestarter" films.

In addition to writing and directing "Death of a Unicorn," Alex Scharfman will also serve as producer of the film. Other producers on the project include Lucas Joaquin and Drew Houpt from Secret Engine. They each worked on a number of films, including "Love Is Strange," "Little Men," and "Beach Rats." Lars Knudsen and Tyler Campellone from Square Peg are on the producing roster as well. Their previous credits include films like "Hereditary," "Midsommar," and "Dream Scenario." Tim Headington, who worked on "Hugo" and "Weird: The Al Yankovic Story," along with Theresa Steele Page, known for "The Green Knight" and "Miss Juneteenth," will be on board representing Ley Line Entertainment.

Ari Aster, known for films like "Beau is not Afraid," is attached as executive producer along with David Darby, Jacob Epstein, and Nate Kamiya. Paul Rudd and Jenna Ortega are also listed as executive producers. It seems pretty evident that there is no shortage of experience and talent helping bring "Death of a Unicorn" to the big screen, and it will be interesting to see how audiences respond to the alluring A24 horror comedy.