Ben Chaplin, David Paymer, Alden Ehrenreich & More Cast In Francis Coppola’s ‘Twixt Now And Sunrise’

Says Film Was Inspired By A Nightmare

Shooting has already quietly begun on Francis Ford Coppola‘s next film, an horror/thriller entry titled “Twixt Now And Sunrise.” Not much was known about the project that stars Val Kilmer, Elle Fanning and Bruce Dern but speaking with the New York Times, Coppola has revealed more members of the cast and has revealed some minor plot details around the film.

Among those who have joined the cast are Joanna Whaley (at the suggestion by ex-husband Val Kilmer), Ben Chaplin, Don Novello (“The Godfather: Part III“), David Paymer and Alden Ehrenreich (“Tetro“) and while it’s unknown what roles they will be playing, Coppola did say that Fanning would be taking on the role of “a young ghost named V.”

Describing the film as having “the imagery of Hawthorne or Poe” Coppola said the new project “grew out of dream I had last year – more of a nightmare,” and recounts how he managed to remember it.

“But as I was having [the dream] I realized perhaps it was a gift, as I could make it as a story, perhaps a scary film, I thought even as I was dreaming. But then some loud noise outside woke me up, and I wanted to go back to the dream and get an ending. But I couldn’t fall back asleep so I recorded what I remembered right there and then on my phone. I realized that it was a gothic romance setting, so in fact I’d be able to do it all around my home base, rather than have to go to a distant country.”

Indeed, the film will shoot for five weeks in California including on Coppola’s own Napa Valley estate, using a very modest budget of $7 million. Like “Tetro” and “Youth Without Youth” before it, Coppola is utilizing the same mobile film unit for the production. Ss for when we might get to see it, the director hints, “the gothic romance/horror subject matter may make it good for this time next year.” But we have a feeling that if he can get it finished in time, Cannes is looking like a strong contender to premiere the film. That said, the festival drew the wrath of Coppola when it rejected “Tetro” from a competition slot. Coppola turned down a Special Presentation screening offer and instead took the canisters over the rival Directors’ Fortnight instead.

As we’ve said before, it’s invigorating to see Coppola embrace the freedom of independent filmmaking, and we are very excited to see what he conjures up with his romantic gothic-influenced tale.