Eddington’ Teaser: Joaquin Phoenix, Pedro Pascal and Emma Stone Spread Pandemic Conspiracy Theories in Ari Aster’s Western Mystery<br />The first teaser for Ari Aster’s latest film just dropped and it’s sure to get people talking, as its characters are introduced discussing COVID conspiracy theories during a cinematic doomscroll.<br /><br />“Eddington,” a modern Western set to open in competition at Cannes, is Aster’s latest film after the box office disappointment of 2023’s “Beau Is Afraid.”<br /><br />Per A24’s brief description of “Eddington”: “In May of 2020, a standoff between a small-town sheriff (Joaquin Phoenix) and mayor (Pedro Pascal) sparks a powder keg as neighbor is pitted against neighbor in Eddington, New Mexico.”<br />The first teaser for Ari Aster’s latest film just dropped and it’s sure to get people talking, as its characters are introduced discussing COVID conspiracy theories during a cinematic doomscroll.<br /><br />“Eddington,” a modern Western set to open in competition at Cannes, is Aster’s latest film after the box office disappointment of 2023’s “Beau Is Afraid.”<br /><br />Per A24’s brief description of “Eddington”: “In May of 2020, a standoff between a small-town sheriff (Joaquin Phoenix) and mayor (Pedro Pascal) sparks a powder keg as neighbor is pitted against neighbor in Eddington, New Mexico.”<br />The film is Aster’s fourth feature, following “Hereditary,” “Midsommar” and “Afraid,” the last of which Phoenix also starred in. All of the films are A24 productions.<br /><br />Aster discussed working with Phoenix on “Afraid” during a discussion with Yorgos Lanthimos for Variety‘s Directors on Directors.<br /><br />Having now worked with him, I understand why he is so reluctant to jump onto anything — because he really puts all of himself into whatever he’s doing,” Aster said. “The way that he challenges the material — not in a gratuitous way or in a way that’s a pain in the ass. The question usually amounts to ‘Is there anything we haven’t considered here?’ I realized that it’s something that I was really wanting from an actor, and now I can’t imagine making a film without him.”<br /><br />The Cannes Film Festival will run from May 13-24, with an American release date for “Eddington” set for July 18. Watch the teaser below
