Ruben Östlund Says Next Film Takes Place On Long-Haul Flight As Passengers Deal Without Entertainment Options

Swedish director Ruben Östlund is returning to the Cannes Film Festival with “Triangle of Sadness,” a new fashion world social satire starring Harris Dickinson, Charlbi Dean, and Woody Harrelson. Last week, the film was among those announced as part of the competition entries in the 75th-anniversary edition of the festival. The film marks Östlund’s fifth Cannes entry and he’s already a Palme d’Or winner for his 2017 art world satire, “The Square.“

However, the director is already thinking about a follow-up film. In a recent interview with Cineuropa, Östlund revealed his next untitled project will focus on a group of passengers on a long flight who are dealing with the fact that the entertainment system is down. It might sound like low stakes, but this kind of social dilemma, people forced to interact with each other while all the distraction options are gone, is just the kind of acute human subject that Östlund excels at: poking that small, annoying wound as best he can.

READ MORE: ‘The Square’s’ Ruben Ostlund On Oscar Night And Jumping Into ‘Triangle Of Sadness’

“My next attack will be executed differently, hopefully,” he explained. “It will take place during a long-haul flight, where the passengers are told shortly after take-off that the entertainment system is down. So the next 17 hours will have to be spent without any kind of digital pastime. The story will take a look at what happens to humanity inside this little fuselage of an aircraft in this situation. You want to know how it ends?”

LOL, in Östlund’s hands, that could turn into a deliciously dark “Lord Of the Flies” type comedy. Either way, the idea that we don’t really interact with each other much anymore and would rather blind ourselves with digital distractions sounds very much like one of his hilariously uncomfortable plotlines.

When the subject of “Triangle of Sadness” was brought up, the filmmaker says it is part of a male-focused trilogy that previously included “Force Majeure” and the aforementioned ‘Square.’

“I’m glad you asked. I realized it’s part three of a trilogy, about being male in our times – something that permeates ‘Force Majeure,’ ‘The Square,’ and now this one,” he explained. “We have three male characters, each struggling with the male image. I have dealt with these characters with great enthusiasm, not least because I can draw on my own experiences. The modern man has certainly been scrutinized and dissected lately, as we all know, in all his awkwardness. It isn’t a planned trilogy, as such, but I like the fact that it became one, and that each film sheds more light on the other two. It can strengthen the bonds between the audience and myself as a filmmaker and storyteller.”

Östlund adds that “Triangle” ends his desire to focus specifically on the male image or toxic masculinity. “I actually feel quite done with the male image — for the moment, at least.”

Well, some of the lucky ones will get to see how it ends pretty soon. The 2022 Cannes Film Festival runs May 17-28. Hopefully, there are more details and casting revealed about the trapped-on-a-plane movie after the Cannes debut of ‘Triangle.’