Ari Aster has been changing the way we think about horror since the release of his feature film, Hereditary (2018). The filmmaker has become one of the key figures in the elevated horror genre (sorry to those that don’t like that label) with splices of dark humor. Although Hereditary‘s theme centers on grief, and Midsommar (2019) explores toxic relationships, both movies still contain some comedic moments. 2023’s Beau Is Afraid took Aster’s flavor of dark comedy to the forefront of his storytelling, and the director revisits this approach with his latest film, Eddington (2025).
The premise of the contemporary Western black comedy has been under wraps for some time, with many calling it a standoff between a small-town sheriff and mayor in Eddington, New Mexico. The film, written and directed by Aster, brings actors Pedro Pascal and Joaquin Phoenix on a collision course during the COVID-19 pandemic. Phoenix has worked with Aster in Beau Is Afraid, and the two have been vibing well enough that it may be the start of a longstanding collaborative relationship.
We were able to attend a roundtable with Joaquin Phoenix on that notion and his working relationship with Aster.
Eddington is your second film with Ari Aster, and the two of you have enough chemistry that you fully grasp the material. You guys are copacetic in terms of mindset and approach to the character in the movie — examples like Scorsese and De Niro, Spike Lee and Denzel Washington. So, is this second film maybe the beginning of a blossoming relationship and continuing collaboration?
Joaquin Phoenix: Well, that’s so flattering, but I will not say that we are in the same class as those fellows. I’ll speak for myself. I don’t feel like I sit shoulder to shoulder with those guys, but that’s very nice to say that. I would hope so. I adore Ari. I love his observations, human behavior, the way that he writes, and really just how much he really cares about making films. It’s pure. I’ve worked with a lot of directors, and there are many different reasons why people do what they do. But there’s something very pure and innocent about Ari’s love for film and filmmaking, and it’s inspiring.
To be honest, at my age, after I’ve made so many movies, there reached a point where you’re just human, where you can grow bored or complacent. Sometimes you don’t have that same natural fuel that you do when you’re 20 years old and you’re trying to make it and you’re just so fucking full of drive and ambition. To work with somebody like Ari, where that is still so alive in him and he sees it in you, that is a gift. And so I love working with him, and I consider him a friend. I would do anything with Ari again, for sure.
Eddington is set to release in theaters nationwide on July 18th.