Edgar Allan Poe is returning to the screen, and Sidney Sweeney might be involved!
An exclusive scoop from Deadline announced that horror studio A24 is developing a new movie based on The Masque of the Red Death, one of Edgar Allan Poe’s most popular works. Deadline claimed it will be “a wildly revisionist and darkly comedic take on the short story.” Most of the details are currently unknown, but Deadline believes the film will begin shooting this year.
Here’s the breakdown of what we know so far and conjecture on what we can expect.
Who Are the Developers?
A24 will be teaming up with Picturestart to create the film. A24 has produced many successful horror movies, including Hereditary, Heretic, and Talk To Me. They’ve also had a few flops, such as Y2K which starred Rachel Zegler. To be fair, though, Rachel Zegler’s reputation on the Internet contributed to that movie’s failure. Otherwise, A24’s overall success in niche horror films bodes well for this new movie.
Rachel Zegler singing the original song “Waiting on a Wish” from Disney‘s Snow White live action remake – YouTube, Disney
Picturestart is a lesser known company that helps finance and develop films and TV series. Most notable on their roster of past projects are the Divergent and Hunger Games adaptations. According to its website, the company seeks to “bring their work to audiences who are hungry for something they have never seen or heard before.”
While that alone is not necessarily concerning, another quote on their website is.
Their “Why We Do It” page starts with the following statement:
“We make films and shows about people and for people finding themselves. Defining themselves. Discovering their voice. Coming of age – at any age. Finding their purpose. Finding their people. Telling their truth.”
The term “their truth” has been known as a red flag to audiences, as it suggests a certain, unfavorable mindset that most viewers don’t want in their entertainment. At this point, there is no way to discern how involved Picturestart will be in this Poe-inspired movie. Fans of Poe’s work are advised to be wary.
Who Will Be Involved?
Charlie Polinger will be the writer and director. He will also executive produce alongside Lucy McKendrick. The pair previously worked on two short films together: F$%k me, Richard and Sauna. The short films were also very niche, and it’s unclear whether or not they were good. However, Polinger and McKendrick have few credentials beyond that.
It might have been better to seek someone more well-known to write, direct and produce.
Sydney Sweeney as Julia Carpenter in Madame Web (2024), Sony Pictures
READ: ‘Madame Web’ Bombs In Its Opening Weekend At The Box Office, Only Brings In $15.3M
On the other hand, Deadline reported that Sidney Sweeney is in negotiations to star in the movie. The actress rose to stardom after the disaster that was Madame Web. She did so by admitting the film was terrible and laughing at it. Her ability to make light of it and sympathize with the audience won over the hearts of many moviegoers.
What Will the Story Look Like?
Edgar Allan Poe’s The Masque of the Red Death is a beautifully written tale of a haughty prince who seals himself and his fellow nobles away in a castle to escape a gruesome epidemic.
Sydney Sweeney is in talks to star in a darkly comedic take on Edgar Allan Poe’s ‘THE MASQUE OF THE RED DEATH’ for A24.
The story follows a prince who attempts to avoid a dangerous plague, known as the Red Death, by hiding in his abbey.
(Source: Deadline) pic.twitter.com/HASS2odx40
— DiscussingFilm (@DiscussingFilm) January 21, 2025
READ: RUMOR: X-Men’s Storm Role in The MCU May Go To Socialist Pride Activist Hollywood Celebrity
The disease is dubbed the Red Death because its victims literally bleed to death. The prince and his followers ignore the plight beyond their walls with food, drink, and parties. During a colorful masquerade ball in the castle, a stranger appears amidst the revelers, wearing the guise of the plague. This stranger turns out to be the Red Death incarnate who kills everyone in the castle.
“And Darkness and Decay and the Red Death held illimitable dominion over all”
-Edgar Allan Poe, Complete Tales & Poems, Castle Books 2002, Page 255
The story has had a screen adaptation before, with Vincent Price starring as the prince. That adaptation closely followed the source material. This new one may not.
Calling it a “wildly revisionist and darkly comedic take” is the biggest red flag of all. Many moviegoers might be ready to dismiss the film from that statement alone.
A protestor screams as Donald Trump is sworn in as the 45th President of the United States via ITV News Facebook
For one, the tale was never meant as a comedy. And “wildly revisionist” could mean anything from gender-swaps to poor interpretations. With the state Hollywood is in currently, it’s entirely possible the movie will be made as a metaphor for Covid.
We can only hope that this won’t be the case…
Final Thoughts
While the news of a Poe story getting a new screen adaptation is exciting, there is still too much we don’t know about it. Most of what we have here is conjecture and should be viewed as such.
There is one thing we can say with certainty, though.
If the Goths don’t leave their crypts to see this movie, the Sidney Sweeney fans most definitely will.
Are you excited to see Sidney Sweeney in an Edgar Allen Poe project? Sound off in the comments and let us know!
Raven Redgrave, AKA Writing Raven, is the co-host of the Gothic Therapy YouTube channel with her husband MasterOfTheTDS. The channel features a look at pop culture, entertainment, and gaming with insightful commentary, sharp critiques, and a dose of dark humor.
I looked at the thumbnail and below it read “Boobs Movies Opinions”.
Funny how brain works.
We can expect them to make her cover up during the movie.
She’s nothing more than a life support system for a set of tits. And she wouldn’t have a career at all if she wasn’t on that HBO softcore porn show with the tranny and Zendaya.
Modern Hollywoke will butcher this movie with their “revisions.” The original story has such deep resonance because it’s partly based in fact: nobles really did–and still do–flee to country estates to avoid infection whenever disease ravages the land. Even if that meant abandoning noblesse oblige. Prospero and his guests dying of the very disease they abandoned their subjects to is quintessential Gothic horror, where evil always loses in the end and crimes are punished in the most poetic of ways.
If the studio really does try to make this film a metaphor for COVID, they’re going to find audiences rebelling against it. Especially now with renewed tensions between us “commoners” and the corrupt politicians and quacks who created it. Dr. Fraudci just had his security revoked, for example. Whether Briben’s “pardon” means anything legally is still up in the air; there’s no legal precedent for pardoning someone who hasn’t even been charged, much less convicted.
“We make films and shows about people and for people finding themselves.” Who, in their sane minds, wanted movies to “find themselves”??? Are those people idiots or what?? Did any normal, sane person ever watched, for example, “Raiders of the lost ark” and thought that movie sucks because there is no one like me in it?? “Star Wars”?? Suck, I can`t find myself in space. “Gone with wind”?? No, that Clark Gable is not like me, that movie sucks.
Movies, TV Shows and video games should be escapism, to enjoy in something different, imaginable, not to watch bunch of insane liberals preaching political messages.
Larry Fink and his social engineering broke the entertainment. Nice job.