Deadline reports that Brady Corbet‘s “The Brutalist” is finally in production in Hungary after a couple of years of delays. That’s great news, but Corbet had to overhaul his starring cast due to scheduling conflicts with original cast members. So while it’s not an entirely new ensemble for Corbet’s follow-up to 2018’s “Vox Lux,” four new actors are in the film’s central roles.
And who might they be? Adrian Brody, Felicity Jones, Guy Pearce, and Joe Alwyn are the new main stars of “The Brutalist.” The foursome replaces Joel Edgerton, Marion Cotillard, Mark Rylance, and Sebastian Stan in the film, who were originally announced as cast members in September 2020. Vanessa Kirby is also no longer part of the cast. But some of the movie’s original ensemble remains, including Raffey Cassidy, Isaach De Bankolé, Alessandro Nivola, Stacy Martin, Jonathan Hyde, and Peter Polycarpou.
Even with the delays and replacements, that’s still a stellar main cast for Brody’s latest feature. Corbet co-writes “The Brutalist” with his partner Mona Fastvold and chronicles thirty years of an artist’s life. Brody stars as László Toth, a Hungarian artist and holocaust survivor who emigrates to the United States with his wife Erzsébet (Jones). Once there, Pearce’s mysterious wealthy client changes the couple’s lives forever.
“The Brutalist” boasts a bunch of Corbet and Fastvold’s regular collaborators. Lol Crawley, who shot Corbet’s last two feature films, returns as director of photography. Daniel Blumberg, who penned the score for Fastvold’s criminally underseen 2020 film “The World To Come,” is the movie’s composer. Dávid Jancsó, who also worked on “The World To Come,” is editor on “The Brutalist.” Meanwhile, Kate Forbes is the film’s costume designer and Judy Becker its production designer.
Brody’s lead is another big role for the actor after Wes Anderson‘s “Asteroid City,” set for a Cannes 2023 world premiere. Brody’s recent work also includes guest spots on Rian Johnson‘s “Poker Face” and HBO‘s “Succession.” As for Jones, her recent films include “The Last Letter From Your Lover” and George Clooney‘s “The Midnight Sky” for Netflix, both in 2021. Up next, she has the Irish paramilitary movie “Borderland,” which recently wrapped production.
Pearce’s recent work includes “The Infernal Machine,” a supporting role on HBO’s “Mare Of Easttown,” and MGM+‘s “A Spy Among Friends.” He also has “The Convert,” a New Zealand religious war drama, as a future movie role. Meanwhile, Alwyn starred in Claire Denis‘ “The Stars At Noon” and Lena Dunham‘s “Catherine Called Birdy” last year. Up next, he has another auteurist project: Yorgos Lanthimos‘ “And.”
For those who like Corbert’s “Vox Lux” and his 2015 film “The Childhood Of A Leader,” it’s great to see he’s still making “The Brutalist,” albeit with a slightly new cast. Expect this one to get a release on the festival circuit next year once it’s complete.
