Ari Aster Says His Next Film is a Four-Hour Nightmare Comedy

Oh, boy. If the horror flicks Hereditary and Midsommar irreparably damaged your psyche, you might want to steer clear of Ari Aster’s next feature. According to the director, his next film will be a four-hour “nightmare comedy.”

“All I know is that it’s gonna be four hours long …” Aser revealed in an interview with the Associated Students Program Board at UC Santa Barbara after revealing the nightmare comedy angle. He also described the film as an “apocalyptic break-up movie,” which might sound intriguing but will likely turn into a friggin’ nightmare that will forever damage your soul.

And while it’s nice to hear Aster label his film as a comedy, chances are it will skew more towards the type of “funny” found in his previous two films.

I say all this lightly, but, man … Aster has an incredible knack for the camera and has delivered two absolutely stellar movies. Hereditary was a masterclass in horror, and Midsommar, while far from perfect, was an incredibly unique film experience. I’m curious to see what other tricks he has up his sleeve. As for the length, Aster’s original cut of Midsommar clocked in at 171 minutes. Take from that what you will.

Midsommar follows a couple, played by Jack Reynor (Strange Angel) and Florence Pugh (Outlaw King), who are traveling through Sweden to visit their friend’s rural hometown for its fabled mid-summer festival. What begins as an idyllic retreat quickly devolves into an increasingly violent and bizarre competition at the hands of a pagan cult.

The film also stars Will Poulter (Detroit), William Jackson Harper (The Good Place), Ellora Torchia (Broadchurch), Archie Madekwe (Teen Spirit) and relative newcomer Vilhem Blomgren.