Horror Director Ari Aster Says New Movie Beau Is Afraid Is Like A “Jewish Lord Of The Rings”

Writer-director Ari Aster made a name for himself with the horror films Hereditary and Midsommar, and his next movie, Beau is Afraid, releases in theaters in just a couple weeks. The film is a bit of a mystery, and now Aster has described it in a way few could have expected.

In a behind-the-scenes featurette, Aster said Beau is Afraid about a man’s quest, not unlike The Lord of the Rings. “It’s like a Jewish Lord of the Rings, but he’s just going to his mom’s house,” Aster said.

He went on to say that his aim with Beau is Afraid is to “put you in the experience of being a loser” through the eyes of Beau, who is played by Oscar-winning actor Joaquin Phoenix.

The movie tells the story of Beau living in a “nightmarish apartment” who is motivated to get out after he learns that his distant mother has been “crushed by a chandelier,” according to The New York Times. Apparently, the story involves Beau’s journey to his mom’s house, and if the trailer is anything to go by, this will be a wild ride.

In addition to Phoenix, Beau is Afraid features Nathan Lane, Amy Ryan, Patti LuPone, Stephen McKinley Henderson, Richard Kind, and Parker Posey. Aster wrote and directed the movie which releases on April 21 in theaters.

Also in the New York Times interview, Aster teased that his next movie to follow Beau is Afraid will “almost certainly” be a western, and that’s exciting to think about for fans of Aster’s work.