Darren Aronofsky (Requiem for a Dream, Black Swan) will be directing A24’s newest film, The Whale, with Brendan Fraser set to star in the lead role as a 600 pound recluse named Charlie. Fraser appeared most recently in FX’s Trust, but he hasn’t been a prominent lead since his roles in George of the Jungle and The Mummy franchise. This unique and psychologically dense character may offer Fraser a potential opportunity for a compelling career comeback role.

Fraser will play Charlie in the The Whale, a morbidly obese recluse living on the outside of Mormon County, Idaho as, “he hides in his apartment eating himself to death.” Charlie turned to compulsive eating out of grief after the loss of his gay lover whom he left his family for. As Charlie tries to change the course of his life by reconnecting with his long estranged daughter, he discovers a, “viscously sharp-tongued and wildly unhappy teen.” The story was originally a play from MacArthur-winning playwright Samuel D. Hunter who will be adapting the play for the screen.  The Whale debuted Off-Broadway in 2012 and won a significant number of awards, including the Drama Desk Award and the Lucille Lortel Award for outstanding play.

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Hunter commented on his involvement in the film stating, “adapting my play into a screenplay has been a real labor of love for me.” He revealed, “This story is deeply personal and I’m very thankful it will have the chance to reach a wider audience. I’ve been a fan of Darren’s ever since I saw Requiem for a Dream when I was a college freshman writing my first plays, and I’m so grateful that he’s bringing his singular talent and vision to this film.“

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The Whale will be director Darren Aronofsky’s first film since directing Mother! for Paramount in 2017, and his first collaboration with indie entertainment company A24. Aronofsky’s own production company, Protozoa Pictures, will also be co-producing the film. Other details regarding additional cast members, release dates, and crew have yet to be revealed.

Source: IndieWire

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Rose McDonald
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Rose McDonald is a freelance filmmaker and News Writer for ScreenRant based in Chicago, Illinois. She recently graduated from the Cinema Arts + Sciences BA program at Columbia College Chicago with a concentration in screenwriting. Additionally, rose has worked on numerous films, music videos, and commercials as both a production designer and set designer. She writes and designs based on a continual desire to understand how an environment reflects each person, and how each person is a reflection of their environment.

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