Ari Aster’s Eddington, featuring but not limited to Joaquin Phoenix, Pedro Pascal, and Emma Stone, premiered on May 17, 2025, at the Cannes Film Festival. During a press conference at Cannes for the film, Pascal shared a strong political message when asked if he feared reentering the United States after the very political Eddington.
Eddington is set in New Mexico, in Eddington, during the COVID summer of 2020. Phoenix plays the protagonist, Joe Cross, the city sheriff who outrightly dismisses the concept of lockdown, and refuses to wear a nose mask. Later in the film, George Floyd’s murder and the protests that followed are recreated. The film documents varying political reactions to the events of the George Floyd protests coupled with COVID-19 restrictions. Apart from the protests, Aster connects COVID restrictions, conspiracy theories, and social media influence as fundamental elements in the breakdown of society. The political outline of this film prompted the question from the press to cast members whether they were worried about entering the U.S. after making a film with such a strong political message. To this, as per Variety, Pascal responded at the press conference in the following words:
“Fear is the way that they win. So keep telling the stories, keep expressing yourself, and keep fighting to be who you are. Fuck the people that try to make you scared, you know? And fight back. This is the perfect way to do so in telling stories. And don’t let them win.”
Joaquin Phoenix, Ari Aster React During 5-Minute Ovation for ‘Eddington’ at Cannes
Image via A24
Aster’s Eddington earned a five-minute standing ovation at its Cannes Film Festival premiere. Variety reports that Phoenix got so emotional that he teared up during the standing ovation. Aster, on the other hand, was left speechless.
Eddington’s premiere was such an emotional moment for its cast members and director, Aster. The film is a follow-up to Aster’s 2023 Beau Is Afraid, that also features Phoenix in the lead role where he portrays a paranoid man who embarks on a journey to get to his mother’s funeral. The character, along the way, encounters his deepest fears throughout the journey. Beau Is Afraid was considered a box office failure for grossing only $11 million globally on a $35 million budget, even after positive reviews from critics. Hence, receiving a standing ovation at Cannes left Aster feeling speechless as he expressed at the end of the premiere, in the words:
“I don’t know what to say. I don’t know what you think. Sorry, I guess? Thank you, I guess? I feel very privileged to be here. This is a dream come true. Thank you so much for having me.”
Eddington will premiere in theatres starting July 18, 2025.
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Details |
|---|---|
| Cast | Joaquin Phoenix, Pedro Pascal, Emma Stone, Luke Grimes, Austin Butler, Deirdre O’Connell, Micheal Ward, Clifton Collins Jr. |
| Release Date | July 18, 2025 |
| Stream On | Theatrical release (distribution by A24) |
| Directed by | Ari Aster |
| Produced by | Ari Aster, Lars Knudsen (Square Peg) |
| Plot Summary | A Western-themed thriller set in a small town under mysterious circumstances. Details remain largely under wraps. |
| Musical Elements | Score details not yet announced (likely composed by Aster’s frequent collaborator, Bobby Krlic) |
| Current Status | Filming wrapped in late 2023; in post-production. Awaiting release on July 18, 2025 |
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