‘Opus’: Cast, Production, and Everything We Know About the A24 Film (2024)

The production company, A24, is best known for its arthouse style of filmmaking, a trait that sets the company far apart from other “indie” films, especially when it comes to the newly coined term, “elevated horror.” It’s not to say that the classic slasher template for many beloved horror movies doesn’t work anymore, but A24 horror films seem to have that extra je ne sais quoi about them that haunts the audience long after the credits have finished rolling.

Many people consider it borderline criminal that Australian actress Toni Collette has yet to win an Academy Award, especially after her performance in Ari Aster’s A24 film Hereditary. She was nominated for Best Supporting Actress in 2000 for a similar role in M. Night Shyamalan’s breakout horror movie The Sixth Sense, but ultimately lost to Angelina Jolie for her role in Girl, Interrupted. However, A24 has collected many nominations and Oscars since its creation in 2012 by Dan Katz, David Fenkel, and John Hodges, with notable films like Everything Everywhere All At Once, The Whale, Ladybird, Minari, Moonlight, Ex Machina, and Room.

That being said, it’s only a matter of time before a horror movie sweeps the award ceremonies in a way not unlike the 1991 film Silence of the Lambs. Horror is often a neglected genre for the Academy Awards. Still, many recent indicators are pointing to a shift towards “elevated horror” films making a major comeback on the playing field. So what is Opus going to be about, and will it finally take home an Oscar as a horror film? This article will tell you everything you need to know about the movie before it comes out!

Who is Behind ‘Opus’?

Opus is the most recent A24 horror film in the works after the success of Danny Philippou and Michael Philippou’s Talk to Me. The movie will be the first feature film debut for writer and director Mark Anthony Green (Trapeze, U.S.A). Green, who spent over a decade working in the fashion industry before taking a seat in the (film) director’s chair, has received accolades for his time spent as the Special Projects Director at GQ Magazine and was recognized as “one of the leading voices for fashion and culture” within the magazine.

The movie will be distributed globally by A24 and is produced by Collin Creighton and Brad Weston of Makeready. Poppy Hanks and Jelani Johnson will produce for MACRO Film Studios with Charles D. King as executive producer. Additionally, Josh Bachove is joining as a producer, and Sara Newkirk Simon will executive produce. Grammy Award-winning musicians The Dream and Nile Rogers will also serve as executive producers and compose original songs for the film.

Despite the mystery surrounding the exact details of the plot, we do know that the film will follow the return and comeback of an “iconic pop star” after decades of isolation. The term “Opus” tends to be musical in nature, as a reference to a great work of art presented at such a magnitude that it could either make (or break) a person’s entire career in the industry. Aside from Anna and the Apocalypse and Rocky Horror Picture Show, the horror genre rarely collaborates with the music industry so intimately, making Opus an enigmatic addition to A24’s repertoire.

Who’s In the Cast of ‘Opus’?

Perhaps one of the most exciting parts about the mysterious upcoming horror movie is seeing who is slated to be in the cast. For starters, John Malkovich, who started his acting career on stage in his early 20s and has cultivated a packed resume throughout the decades, will star in Opus, presumably as the pop star making a comeback. Malkovich has been in a varied plethora of films and television shows, ranging from family-friendly titles like Johnny English to much more dramatic roles such as Sir John Brannox in HBO's limited series The New Pope. Joining him will be The Bear’s Ayo Edebiri in an undisclosed role. Edebiri has worked on a multitude of projects, including Big Mouth, Teenage Mutant Ninja Turtles: Mutant Mayhem, and Spider-Man: Across the Spider-Verse.

Additionally, Emmy Award-winning White Lotus and The Last of Us actor Murray Bartlett is cast in the film in another undisclosed role, along with Tatanka Means (Killers of the Flower Moon), Young Mazino (Beef), and Stephanie Suganami (Something from Tiffany’s). Juliette Lewis (Yellowjackets) is rumored to be in talks to join the cast of Opus as well, but that has yet to be confirmed. Originally, Amber Midthunder (Prey) was speculated to be a part of the project but has recently disappeared from news and updates about the upcoming A24 horror movie.

When and Where Can You Watch ‘Opus’ Once It Comes Out?

Due to an interim agreement, production for Opus was able to continue during the SAG-AFTRA strike. The increased anticipation for the latest A24 horror film is further compounded by the limited details available about the plot, leaving viewers to speculate on the potential for the upcoming horror movie. The film is still currently in production, but it’s likely that Opus will hit the theaters sometime in 2024 before it gets released digitally on streaming platforms like Amazon Prime or Max. Other recent A24 horror films like Ti West’s X and Pearl tend to have a brief theatrical release before becoming available to purchase or rent on streaming platforms.

Is There A Trailer for ‘Opus’?

As the mysterious and enigmatic film is still currently under production, there are no trailers yet. Rest assured, there will be an official trailer release to promote the movie once filming has wrapped. As a reference, Talk to Me released its official trailer in April 2023 and the movie was theatrically released internationally in July of the same year, followed by a DVD and Blu-ray release in October. There’s no doubt that a movie with a cast list like this will have a strong marketing team to promote the film once filming has wrapped.

While we eagerly await more news regarding Opus, be sure to subscribe below to stay in tune with the inevitable trailer drop, release date, and new updates about the movie!