Upcoming Projects of Great Directors

With so many postponements with regard to not only film productions, but also releases, it’s a bit tricky to keep accurate track of what exactly is coming out in the near future. So, I’ve decided to jump forward a little bit and look at the more distant future. Most of the films on this list are scheduled to be released in 2021, and quite a few of them aren’t even in post production yet. Also worth noting is that I decided to structure this list based on their respective directors – just if you were wondering what these lot were up to.

Richard Linklater: Appolo 10 1/2

Richard Linklater is a master of both dialogue and character development, as well as nailing the atmosphere of a specific context. For the former two, we have the excellent Boyhood as an example, and for the latter, there are Dazed and Confused and Everybody Wants Some. His new film seems to be somewhat of a mix between the both – it’s essentially a coming of age story, but it’s also set within a clear context, the lunar landing mission of 1969.

Ridley Scott: The Last Duel

Ridley Scott enjoys a good historical flick just as much as crime dramas and sci-fi films, and here he is providing us with another one. This time, it’s set in the 14th century, and is centred around King Charles VI of France, who challenges Knight Jean de Carrouges for a duel. There are so many good stories to be told within the vast history of Europe, and after The Favourite delivered one, more are set to follow. This project includes quite the trio of actors: Adam Driver, Ben Affleck and Matt Damon.

Greta Gerwig: Barbie

Could you perhaps guess what this one is about? This project will be a live action movie, directed by Greta Gerwig, with a script from Noah Baumbach, and starring Margot Robbie in the main role of, surprise surprise, a Barbie doll. Not much else is known about the project so far, except that it’s still in pre-production, so it won’t be releasing anytime soon.

Joel Coen: Macbeth

It’s been a while since the Coen Brothers took on major projects individually, but the time has finaly come – Joel will be working on this one without his brother Ethan. Now, did we need another Macbeth adaptation? Not that much, since the latest one was released only a few years ago. But let’s see what this one has to bring. The cast is quite impressive: Denzel Washington as Lord Macbeth, Frances McDormand as Lady Macbeth, and Brendan Gleeson as Lord Duncan.

Denis Villeneuve: Dune

This will be the third adaptation of Frank Herbert’s famous novel, with the previous ones being David Lynch’s film from 1984, and the mini series from 2000. While I will always prefer something original instead of yet another adaptation, remake or reimagining, it’s directed by someone who understands smart sci-fi (Arrival, Blade Runner 2049), so I’m sure the project is in good hands.

Robert Eggers: The Northman

To round up the list, we have a real master of smart horror: Robert Eggers, who directed The Witch and The Lighthouse. Apparently, his new project continues the simple yet effective naming rule that he’s employed previously. Currently, it’s only described as a “Viking revenge saga set in Iceland at the turn of the 10th century”. It includes quite a star studded cast: Alexander Skarsgård, Nicole Kidman and Claes Bang, alongside two returnees from previous projects: Willem Dafoe and Anya Taylor-Joy.