The rollout of Yorgos Lanthimos‘ latest film, Poor Things, has been interesting, to say the least. The images and posters released from the upcoming surrealist science fiction film have given us a sometimes bewildering and always beguiling look into Lanthimos‘ highly anticipated new project. And the newest image from the film, released today, is no less odd than its predecessors. The new image shows Willem Dafoe in his role as Dr. Godwin Baxter in a truly peculiar scene. The new image was released exclusively to Empire Magazine. Poor Things is set to make its debut in Venice this September. The film will premiere in the United States on December 8, 2023.
A Surreal New Look at Poor Things
Poor Things tells the story of a young woman named Bella, played by Emma Stone, who is brought back to life by Dr. Godwin Baxter. Her resurrection sends Bella into a state of naivety and curiosity about the world around her. Under the sometimes oppressive protection of Dr. Baxter, Bella begins to crave more of the outside world. So she runs away with a man named Duncan Wedderburn, played by Mark Ruffalo. The film is Lanthimos’ latest film following his 2018 project The Favourite, which also starred Emma Stone.
The new image, released today, shows Dafoe as Dr. Godwin Baxter. He sits at a kitchen table. The walls behind him are covered in decorative china. The image, on its very surface, is odd and disproportionate. Baxter sits in a wooden chair too large for his body. He is hooked up to IVs that lead to a collection of containers filled with various liquids. One container looks very much like a stomach but is made of glass. Dafoe grips the arms of his chair. He wears a napkin tucked into his shirt. His face is a patchwork of flesh. He looks to be a combination of Frankenstein and his monster.
Poor Things was directed by Lanthimos, based on a screenplay by Tony McNamara. The film is based on a 1992 novel of the same name by Alasdair Gray. Poor Things will be released to theaters in the United States on December 8, 2023.
via Collider