If you were bowled over by Poor Things – or are a long-term Yorgos Lanthimos fan, who’s been on board for Dogtooth, The Lobster, The Killing Of A Sacred Deer and The Favourite – today’s your lucky day. Because the Greek director is moving incredibly quickly, and his follow-up to that Oscar-winning oddity is already in the can. Lanthimos’ next film is Kinds Of Kindness, an anthology feature with an all-star cast – once again uniting him with Emma Stone, Willem Dafoem, Margaret Qualley and Joe Alwyn. And on top of that, he’s now working with Jesse Plemons, Hong Chau, Mamoudou Athie, and Hunter Schafer. Check out the punchy teaser trailer here:
Even for such a short look at the film, there’s plenty to unpack – not only that excellent needle-drop of ‘Sweet Dreams Are Made Of This’, and that punchy editing (including a perfectly-timed slap from Qualley). But notably, this looks visually different to much of Lanthimos’ work – crisp and modern, and perhaps more real-world than the stylised realities the filmmaker often explores. Even the fish-eye lens photography that’s been key to the likes of The Favourite and Poor Things looks to be less prevalent here. It’s great to see the director teaming with such an array of on-screen talent – who, after Lanthimos’ recent run, surely were keen to collaborate with him.
Here’s the initial synopsis: “Kinds Of Kindness is a triptych fable, following a man without choice who tries to take control of his own life; a policeman who is alarmed that his wife who was missing-at-sea has returned and seems a different person; and a woman determined to find a specific someone with a special ability, who is destined to become a prodigious spiritual leader.”
The good news is, there’s not hugely long to wait – Kinds Of Kindness is expected to hit UK cinemas on 28 June, roughly six months after the arrival of Poor Things. It’s Yorgos Lanthimos’ world – we’re all just lucky enough to be living in it.