Disappointment Blvd. - What We Know So Far

After "Hereditary" and "Midsommar" blew audiences away in 2018 and 2019, it's no surprise that director Ari Aster is already gearing up for his next feature: "Disappointment Blvd." With one of the main cast members from "Joker" signed on to lead the 2022 film, it's set to follow one of "the most successful entrepreneurs of all time" (via Deadline). It's quickly become a highly anticipated project, and the pairing of the star with Aster is a fascinating concept.

But with little news about the full scope of the plot for the film, the A24-produced "Disappointment Blvd." definitely has a mysterious air around it. If the nightmarish depictions of grief, love, and loss in both "Hereditary" and "Midsommar" are anything to go by, then it'll certainly have plenty of subtext beneath the surface. Thankfully, a recent casting announcement offered more details about what to expect from the 4-hour long "nightmare comedy."

Here's everything we know about "Disappointment Blvd." so far.

Joaquin Phoenix will lead the cast of "Disappointment Blvd." presumably as the titular entrepreneur that the brief description of the movie refers to. Given all the incredible performances he's given over the years in films like "Gladiator," "The Master," and "You Were Never Really Here," it's likely that he'll bring an intense atmosphere to the movie. That's without mentioning his work in "Joker," of course. But this isn't a one-man show, and Phoenix will be joined by a number of impressive stars. As per Deadline, legendary actress Patti LuPone has boarded the film, and although the star's stage performances have been a priority in the last few years, she's also recently appeared in shows like "Penny Dreadful" and "Steven Universe."

Nathan Lane, who recently appeared in "Penny Dreadful: City of Angels" and "The Blacklist," will also star next to Amy Ryan of "Gone Baby Gone" and "Birdman" fame. 17-year old Kylie Rogers from "Collateral Beauty" and "Home Before Dark" has also signed on for the new project. However, a number of smaller websites like KFT and WorldofReel have reported that Meryl Streep is set to play Phoenix's overbearing mother in the film. However, there's been no official confirmation of the star joining the cast, nor has it been announced by A24, so take that rumor with a handful of salt.

After seeing his masterful follow-up with "Midsommar" — which contained Florence Pugh's brilliantly intense performance — audiences were understandably keen to find out when they could see Ari Aster's next project on the big screen. Rumors swirled for some time that the director was discussing a new project with Joaquin Phoenix, and Deadline confirmed in February 2021 that "Disappointment Blvd." is in the works from Aster, producer Lars Knudsen, and A24.

Unfortunately, the film currently has no release date — but as revealed by Esquire, the film starts production on June 28 2021 in Montreal, Canada. Phoenix will shoot "Disappointment Blvd." before working with legendary director Ridley Scott on the Napoleon Bonaparte epic "Kitbag," which is slated for 2023. Once production is well underway, we'll probably know more about what to expect from the film — including the official release date. Because audiences will be pretty keen to see Aster's latest cinematic offering, it wouldn't be surprising if A24 aim for a decent slot in 2022, perhaps in June or July to capitalize on the anticipation.

Just to make things even more mysterious, the plot for "Disappointment Blvd." is being kept under wraps, which only makes the movie all the more tantalizing. It's being described by Deadline as "an intimate decades-spanning portrait of one of the most successful entrepreneurs of all time." Meanwhile, Ari Aster was careful not to reveal too much about the project, calling it a "nightmare comedy" when speaking to students at UC Santa Barbara in 2020 (via Slash Film). The director also teased the lengthy runtime for his next project, saying "All I know is that it's gonna be four hours long..."

To add all the pieces up, "Disappointment Blvd." will be a 4-hour long epic about the life of a successful entrepreneur who's presumably played by Joaquin Phoenix, with a dash of comedy in amongst Aster's signature talent for freaking out audiences. It certainly sounds like it could have horrific tones throughout, which would be interesting, given the lengthy running time. With production getting underway on June 28, 2021, hopefully A24 will reveal more about the film in the coming months.

While the project is surrounded by mystery, it's definitely one to keep tracking as next year approaches.