Next From Lars Von Trier: Planet Melancholia, a Psychological Sci-Fi Disaster Film

Lars Von Trier has been doing press over the past week for the US release of Antichrist. (Remotely, as he doesn't fly, and has never been to the States.) But it wasn't until today that he revealed the name and nature of his next project. Planet Melancholia is said to be a 'psychological disaster film', which he will write and direct. Hm. Psychological disaster? Sounds like Antichrist, no? But this one has a sci-fi bent, and a couple other interesting things about it.

There's the possibility that the film is actually just called Melancholia, which is how Variety is currently listing it. The trade says the title is illustrated in their press release by 'an enourmous planet...that looms threateningly close to Earth." THR says that Von Trier is "moving into Roland Emmerich territory" with Planet Melancholia, but also calls Antichrist an "art house mash up of the slasher horror genre," so I'm not sure I trust the Emmerich description.

More intriguing is the note from producer Peter Aalbaek Jensen, who said the film will shoot next summer in Germany and Sweden, and feature "a mix of spectacular, cinematic imagery with Dogme-style handheld camerawork." Jensen also said the film, which has reportedly come together very quickly, would be "romantic, in a Lord Byron sort of way." The sci-fi intimations are slight, so I'm curious to hear more about that angle, if indeed it is significant. Jensen says the film does not involve an alien invasion, so there's that. Wonder if this one will get a video game, too?

Unfortunately, we don't know any more than this. We might get a few more details as the director does more Antichrist promotion, but I expect we'll have to wait a few more months for anything significant.

As for Lars Von Trier, there was only one comment: "No more happy endings!" Be afraid.

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