"I am finding being alive fascinating."
Three-time Oscar-nominated filmmaker Yorgos Lanthimos (The Lobster and The Favourite) puts an idiosyncratic spin on the story of Frankenstein's monster in Poor Things, which stars Emma Stone (herself a three-time Oscar nominee who won Best Actress for her performance in La La Land) as a young woman brought back to life. This marks the director and star's third collaboration following The Favourite and the short film Bleat, with another forthcoming: Stone has already signed on for Lanthimos' next film, AND.
In Poor Things, Bella Baxter (Stone) is reanimated by a mad scientist, Dr. Godwin Baxter (Willem Dafoe). Newly re-alive, Bella runs off with the debauched Duncan Wedderburn (Mark Ruffalo) to explore the world, where she discovers her purpose in life. The cast also includes Margaret Qualley, Ramy Youssef, Jerrod Carmichael, and Christopher Abbott.
Lanthimos directs from a script by Tony McNamara, who previously penned The Favourite and received a Best Original Screenplay nod for it, with Stone also serving as a producer this go-around.
Poor Things opens in theaters on Dec. 8 — delayed from its original September release date — following its world premiere at the 80th Venice International Film Festival. Watch the trailer below.
Searchlight Pictures also released a behind-the-scenes look at Poor Things focused on Stone's Bella.
This article was originally published on June 8, 2023.
RELATED CONTENT:
2023 Venice International Film Festival: Everything to Know
2023 Telluride Film Festival Lineup Includes World Premieres From Emerald Fennell, Alexander Payne
'Saltburn' Trailer Introduces Emerald Fennell's Gothic Tale of Privilege and Desire
