Aidan Reidy is a writer who’s currently pursuing a bachelor’s degree in motion pictures screenwriting at the University of Miami. He is passionate about the entertainment industry and enjoys watching most genres. He is interested in every aspect of filmmaking ranging from technical aspects like editing and sound mixing to acting and directing styles. Hollywood Insider’s commitment to substance-filled articles rather than gossip columns attracted him to the website, creating an enjoyable environment for him to write in and aligning with his personal values, as well.
Jul 6, 2025
The Premise Of ‘Eddington’
“In May of 2020, a standoff between a small-town sheriff and mayor sparks a powder keg as neighbor is pitted against neighbor in Eddington, New Mexico” (IMDB).
Joaquin Phoenix is reuniting with his ‘Beau is Afraid’ director to star as mayoral hopeful, Sheriff Joe Cross. Newcomers to the world of Ari Aster include Pedro Pascal as incumbent mayor, Ted Garcia, Emma Stone as Joe’s wife, Louise, and Austin Butler as a radical cult leader, Vernon Jefferson Peak. Supporting players Deirdre O’Connell, Michael Ward, and Luke Grimes round out the cast.
Emma Stone and Christopher Abbott (‘Poor Things’, ‘Wolf Man’) were two of the first actors originally announced to star in ‘Eddington’, but Abbot had to step down and was replaced by Butler as the cult leader. Abbott is a great screen presence, so it will be interesting to see whether this replacement was for the better or worse when it comes out.
A24, the studio that Aster has worked with on his first three features, produced ‘Eddington’ alongside Square Peg. His usual collaborator Bobby Krilic will compose the score with Daniel Pemberton.
When it was announced to be in competition at the 2025 Cannes Film Festival, ‘Eddington’ quickly became one of the most anticipated films in the lineup. Ari Aster’s first feature film to premiere at the renowned festival surely wouldn’t be as divisive as ‘Beau is Afraid’, right? Right??
After the premiere of ‘Eddington’ at Cannes, reactions started hitting every social media platform, with some critics extremely negative on it, while others were somewhat positive. Robert Daniels, a critic for RogerEbert.com did not mince his words, writing “It used to be that every white male wanted to write the next great American novel and now it’s every white male filmmaker wants to make the next great ‘provocative’ movie, and it’s tiring.”
David Ehlrich, the head film critic at Indiewire.com, called “The first truly modern American Western… the first major Hollywood movie that’s been willing to see the Covid pandemic for the hellacious paradigm shift that it was.” These are just two reactions on opposite ends of the spectrum, with many more like them.
It’s fascinating that Aster has already made two movies this decade that immediately polarized critics and have veered far away from the horror genre that made him the popular, critically acclaimed filmmaker he is today. ‘Hereditary’ and ‘Midsommar’ are regarded as two of the best movies of the 2010s by some, but then he went in a completely different direction, making two movies that could be considered “passion projects”, for better or for worse.
I was only a sophomore in high school when the Covid pandemic shook the world and made half of the United States population utterly insane. I didn’t know much about politics, nor did I know how divided our country was about to become, but I did know my life was going to change drastically.
At first, transitioning to online class sounded like a blessing in disguise for me. I was a lazy, unmotivated 16-year-old, and being able to stay home all day, playing video games and watching movies in between classes was better than winning the lottery. Turns out that wasn’t the case.
During the lockdowns, socialization went downhill amongst me and my peers, immediately shifting the way we interacted with one another on a daily basis. Instead of talking face-to-face, we used video calls or social media, which is not the same at all. Being stuck inside for months, sheltered from the outside world, damaged us as a society, and we truly haven’t recovered. Polarization amongst those with differing viewpoints became the new normal, and I think that is what Aster is trying to get at in ‘Eddington’.
The protests we see in the trailer are no different than the ones that were sparked throughout major cities in the country. A line in the premise of ‘Eddington’ that sticks out is, “neighbor is pitted against neighbor.” This may not have been obvious right away in 2020, but it is extremely relevant in today’s day and age. The smallest disagreement between those who live right next to you, right down the street from you, can turn into a whole bigger thing. We are conditioned to hate one another now by those in higher power, starting in the very early days of the pandemic.
The same goes for the way people dealt with mandated mask wearing. It drove some to the brink of insanity, all because they had to cover their face in order to protect themselves from an extremely contagious disease. There is a shot in the trailer where the Sheriff pulls down his mask in anger, as bystanders watch and do the same.
‘Eddington’ may polarize general audiences because people don’t want to accept all of these issues that are running rampant in the United States right now. They might not want to be reminded of those dark times, either.
Ari Aster’s first two efforts, ‘Midsommar’ and ‘Hereditary’, practically reinvented the horror genre and the way we explore generational trauma. Sure, we have all seen movies that play with this trope, like Alfred Hitchcock’s ‘Psycho’ and David Cronenberg’s ‘The Brood’; however, horror movies that use generational trauma as a plot device are becoming more and more common nowadays, such as the ‘Smile’ franchise, in part because of Aster.
While ‘Beau is Afraid’ was, let’s say, ambitious, the response towards it was quite lukewarm from general audiences, with somewhat positive reviews from critics. It was a self-indulgent, sprawling odyssey about an anxiety-ridden man with severe mommy issues, which really has no target audience. I can’t imagine any couple in their 40s, or older than that, wanting to go on a date and see a three hour movie with a premise like that. Aster isn’t necessarily “a niche taste”, but his movies definitely have an audience that may not be your average moviegoer.
With ‘Eddington’ being as, if not more, divisive than his most recent effort, I don’t see a world where people excitedly turn out for Aster’s new feature. The subject matter may turn people off as it is, but it wouldn’t be crazy if they saw ‘Beau is Afraid’ and jumped ship.
‘Eddington’ will be released in theaters nationwide on July 18th.
By Aidan Reidy
Click here to read The Hollywood Insider’s CEO Pritan Ambroase’s love letter to Cinema, TV and Media. An excerpt from the love letter: The Hollywood Insider’s CEO/editor-in-chief Pritan Ambroase affirms, “We have the space and time for all your stories, no matter who/what/where you are. Media/Cinema/TV have a responsibility to better the world and The Hollywood Insider will continue to do so. Talent, diversity and authenticity matter in Cinema/TV, media and storytelling. In fact, I reckon that we should announce “talent-diversity-authenticity-storytelling-Cinema-Oscars-Academy-Awards” as synonyms of each other. We show respect to talent and stories regardless of their skin color, race, gender, sexuality, religion, nationality, etc., thus allowing authenticity into this system just by something as simple as accepting and showing respect to the human species’ factual diversity. We become greater just by respecting and appreciating talent in all its shapes, sizes, and forms. Award winners, which includes nominees, must be chosen on the greatness of their talent ALONE.
I am sure I am speaking for a multitude of Cinema lovers all over the world when I speak of the following sentiments that this medium of art has blessed me with. Cinema taught me about our world, at times in English and at times through the beautiful one-inch bar of subtitles. I learned from the stories in the global movies that we are all alike across all borders. Remember that one of the best symbols of many great civilizations and their prosperity has been the art they have left behind. This art can be in the form of paintings, sculptures, architecture, writings, inventions, etc. For our modern society, Cinema happens to be one of them. Cinema is more than just a form of entertainment, it is an integral part of society. I love the world uniting, be it for Cinema, TV, media, art, fashion, sport, etc. Please keep this going full speed.”
Aidan Reidy is a writer who’s currently pursuing a bachelor’s degree in motion pictures screenwriting at the University of Miami. He is passionate about the entertainment industry and enjoys watching most genres. He is interested in every aspect of filmmaking ranging from technical aspects like editing and sound mixing to acting and directing styles. Hollywood Insider’s commitment to substance-filled articles rather than gossip columns attracted him to the website, creating an enjoyable environment for him to write in and aligning with his personal values, as well.
Aidan Reidy is a writer who’s currently pursuing a bachelor’s degree in motion pictures screenwriting at the University of Miami. He is passionate about the entertainment industry and enjoys watching most genres. He is interested in every aspect of filmmaking ranging from technical aspects like editing and sound mixing to acting and directing styles. Hollywood Insider’s commitment to substance-filled articles rather than gossip columns attracted him to the website, creating an enjoyable environment for him to write in and aligning with his personal values, as well.
Aidan Reidy is a writer who’s currently pursuing a bachelor’s degree in motion pictures screenwriting at the University of Miami. He is passionate about the entertainment industry and enjoys watching most genres. He is interested in every aspect of filmmaking ranging from technical aspects like editing and sound mixing to acting and directing styles. Hollywood Insider’s commitment to substance-filled articles rather than gossip columns attracted him to the website, creating an enjoyable environment for him to write in and aligning with his personal values, as well.
Limited Time Offer: Join for FREE today and get unlimited
The Hollywood Insider is against gossip and scandal, fully focused on substance & meaningful entertainment.
We choose quality over quantity, compassion over oppression, wisdom over intelligence.
Newsletter Subscription
We use cookies to ensure that we give you the best experience on our website. If you continue to use this site we will assume that you are happy with it.Ok
