Loved The Favourite? You Won’t Want To Miss The New Surrealist Film, Poor Things

One of the best films of the last decade was 2018’s dark comedy The Favourite, in which two cousins fought be court favourite of Olivia Colman’s Princess Anne. The film’s director, Yorgos Lanthimos, is making his return later this year with his new film Poor Things, with The Favourite star Emma Stone as its lead.

The surrealist sci-fi, based on the book of the same name, follows a woman (Stone) who is brought back to life by a scientist (played by Willem Dafoe) and adjusts to her new life, as she strives to live free from prejudice.

Everything We Know About Poor Things

Poor Things is set to arrive later this year in September, and features an impressive cast: Stone is joined by Willem Dafoe (The Northman), Mark Ruffalo (Dark Waters), Margaret Qualley (Maid), Ramy Youssef (Ramy), and Jerrod Carmichael (Rothaniel).

 

Stone plays Bella Baxter, a young woman who is brought back after her death by Dafoe’s eccentric and unorthodox scientist Godwin Baxter. The scientist is protective of the newly resurrected Bella, and wants her to flourish with her newly extended life. “She’s an experiment”, Godwin says in the film’s first trailer, “…her brain and her body are not quite synchronised.” But despite her not entirely functioning body Bella is eager to learn more about the world, and decides to run off with dashing lawyer Duncan (Ruffalo) to travel the world.

Watch The Poor Things Trailer

The film (and book) has been described as taking influence from the original Frankenstein novel, and giving it a more prominently feminist twist. Bella soon begins to find that the world is not always so kind, and becomes intent on achieving equality and liberation, and she seems uniquely placed to do so. The world in which she (and the rest of the characters) live is a fantastical one, with castles and futuristic transport.

Judging by the trailer (and Lanthimos’ previous work), we’re certainly in for quite a weird time, but one that is also emotional and thought provoking. You can also expect some truly unique cinematography that gives the film a dreamy atmosphere. The rest of the cast play various quirky characters that Bella meets along the way, as she seeks to find herself and a new sense of worldliness. Much of the rest of the plot is under wraps, but you won’t have long to wait.

Poor Things Release Date

Poor Things is set to arrive in the UK on 8th September, 2023.