For the last decade, the public has been subjected to seas of sequels, prequels and remakes. It feels like everywhere you look, Disney is advertising another live-action remake – this year Mufasa and Snow White, both of which nobody particularly asked for.
Those looking for something original to watch, fear not: below I bring you six films that fall under none of these categories, offering a fresh storyline to the big screen.
Death Of A Unicorn
Staring a strong cast of Jenna Ortega, Paul Rudd, Will Poulter, Richard E. Grant and more, this film is sure to attract an audience. A directorial debut from Alex Scharfman and backed by A24, this horror-comedy sees a pharmaceutical company seeking to find the cure for major diseases from a magical unicorn that Paul Rudd accidentally kills. The film is set to release soon, arriving at cinemas in early April in the UK.
Friendship
Another film starring Paul Rudd and from A24, this comedy sees Craig (played by Tim Robinson) seek to understand why Austin has abruptly ended their seemingly amazing friendship. According to early reviews, it ends up down a crazy path filled with cringe comedy. With the tagline ‘Men shouldn’t have friends’, the film casts a light on male friendship, something not often showcased. No UK release date is confirmed yet, but we can expect it sometime this year.
The Legend of Ochi
Thought that was all from A24? Think again. Starring Helena Zengel, Finn Wolfhard, Willem Dafoe and Emily Watson, The Legend of Ochi follows Yuri and her unique relationship with an Ochi on a remote island, where everyone else seems to fear the creature. This fantasy adventure is definitely one for the whole family, and while the release date is not confirmed yet, we can expect it sometime in late spring/early summer.
Opus
Don’t kill me, but I have another A24 film to talk about. It would seem that they’re becoming a powerhouse of cinema, particularly when it comes to original projects. Opus stars Ayo Edebiri and John Malkovich in a horror thriller where members of the press are invited to a compound to hear the long-awaited returning album of pop star Moretti after his disappearance. Of course, as it’s a horror, this compound isn’t a relaxing retreat as Ariel soon finds out. Exploring the theme of cults, I wouldn’t expect a joyous watch. Opus is set for a release at the end of March.
The Phoenician Scheme
A star-studded cast featuring the likes of Michael Cera, Bryan Cranston, Tom Hanks, Scarlett Johansson and Benicio del Toro are expected to take to the screen this summer in Wes Anderson’s latest film, two years after the release of Asteroid City. While not much is known yet about this comedy-drama, it is expected to explore the theme of espionage and is being co-written with Roman Coppola, who worked alongside Anderson on Moonrise Kingdom. There are high hopes for this latest release.
The Bride!
From director and screenwriter Maggie Gyllenhaal – responsible for the Academy-nominated screenplay of The Lost Daughter – comes The Bride! which stars Jessie Buckley, Christian Bale, and Penélope Cruz. While not entirely original as it is inspired by Bride of Frankenstein and the original Frankenstein novel, reports suggest it varies significantly from the former, which came out in 1935, so, let’s be real: it is new for the vast majority of us. Set in Chicago (though partially filmed in Scotland), the film is a romantic drama and horror and is likely to hit cinemas around October.
Hi, I’m Neil Singer, Culture Editor and second year student, studying media and journalism, and social policy. In my spare time I play for Strathclyde Lacrosse and watch a lot of films. If your reading this then that probably means you’ve looked at my article, so thankyou! You must be one very cool individual.
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