First Look at Martin Scorsese and Leonardo DiCaprio’s New Movie Explains That Oscars Moustache

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Today, Apple TV unveiled the first image from Martin Scorsese’s upcoming picture What Happens at Night, which is now in production. In the picture, the mustached DiCaprio is seen walking down a snowy road with Jennifer Lawrence. The two portray a married couple who, in an effort to save their marriage, travel to a European town to adopt a child. Things don’t go according to plan, as they find themselves trapped in a hotel with a series of strange characters. Check out the image in the space below:

Image Courtesy of Apple

Martin Scorsese Returns to Horror With What Happens at Night

Following 2023’s Killers of the Flower Moon, the ever busy Scorsese had no shortage of projects to choose from next, including a Hawaiian gangster epic starring Dwayne Johnson. Ultimately, What Happens at Night, which is based on the novel of the same name by Peter Cameron, won out, and it’s easy to understand why. As a psychological horror film, What Happens at Night marks something as a change of pace for the legendary director. He has experience with thrillers (see: his critically acclaimed remake of Cape Fear), but it’s a genre he hasn’t revisited in well over a decade.

Based on what we know, What Happens at Night looks like it will be in the same vein as Shutter Island, the eerie 2010 Scorsese/DiCaprio team-up. Shutter Island is the only of their collaborations to not receive a Best Picture nomination, but it’s one of Scorsese’s most underrated works that demonstrates his mastery of horror filmmaking. Much like What Happens at Night, Shutter Island tackles psychological horror, immersing the audience in an unsettling story that gradually builds to a shocking, emotional twist. Anchored by a typically great performance by DiCaprio, Shutter Island finds Scorsese constantly putting the viewer at unease, forcing them to question reality and what they believe. If What Happens at Night is anything like Shutter Island or Cape Fear in terms of quality, horror fans will be in for a treat.

With Scorsese behind the camera, it will be interesting to see if What Happens at Night can become a player on the awards circuit. The Oscars historically haven’t been very friendly to the horror genre, but that changed in a big way at this year’s ceremony; Amy Madigan won Best Supporting Actress for her performance in Weapons, while Sinners was a legitimate contender for Best Picture (it ultimately won four awards, including Best Actor for Michael B. Jordan). Assuming What Happens at Night is critically acclaimed, it could become the latest prestige horror title to make waves in the awards race. DiCaprio and Lawrence are well-respected veterans with several accolades to their names, so they’re always in contention.

No release date for What Happens at Night has been set yet. Since principal photography has only recently started, it’s unlikely it’ll be ready to debut at some point this year. Fans will probably have to wait until 2027 to see the film; Scorsese is a meticulous craftsman who has never been one to rush his movies. On the surface, What Happens at Night feels different from the recent 3+ hour crime epics the director has been making, but he’ll still want to take his time with everything to make sure it’s just right. Whenever What Happens at Night premieres, it should be worth the wait. In addition to DiCaprio and Lawrence, the cast also includes Mads Mikkelsen, Patricia Clarkson, and Jared Harris, so there’s plenty of talent on both sides of the camera.

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