Searchlight Pictures Releases Trailer for Anya Taylor-Joy’s Darkly Comic Horror Film “The Menu”

Anya Taylor-Joy’s plate is full… But of what?

Searchlight Pictures has released the first teaser for its darkly comic horror film The Menu, starring the 26-year-old Argentine American actress, Ralph Fiennes and Nicholas Hoult.

Anya Taylor-JoyHailing from director Mark Mylod, the film sees a couple (Taylor-Joy and Hoult) travel to a coastal island to eat at an exclusive restaurant where Chef Slowik (Fiennes) has prepared a lavish menu, with some shocking surprises.

The trailer shows Slowik welcome guests to a restaurant named Hawthorne.

“It’ll be our pleasure to feed you,” he says. “Over the next few hours, you will ingest fat, salt, protein and at times, entire ecosystems.”

It sounds fair enough, until Hawthorne’s dark side is quickly revealed, with the Chef warning Taylor-Joy’s Margot that she shouldn’t be there.

“You, my dear guests, are not the common man. Isn’t that right?” he later says. “What happens inside this room is meaningless compared to what happens outside. We are but a frightened nanosecond; nature is timeless.”

While it hasn’t been explicitly stated what “shocking surprises” await those heading to Hawthorne, it seems probable that cannibalism plays some role in this tale.

The Menu‘s cast also includes Hong Chau, Janet McTeer, Judith Light, Reed Birney, Paul Adelstein, Aimee Carrero, Arturo Castro, Mark St. Cyr, Rob Yang and John Leguizamo.

Seth Reiss and Will Tracy wrote the script, with Hyperobject IndustriesBetsy Koch and Adam McKay producing, Michael Sledd executive producing, and Hyperobject’s Jenna Go serving as associate producer.

The film is slated for release in theaters on November 18.

Arturo Castro to Star in the Gourmet Dark Satire “The Menu”

Arturo Castro is ordering off The Menu

The 35-year-old Guatemalan actor has been cast in Searchlight Pictures’ gourmet dark satire The Menuwhich is currently filming in Savannah, GA.

Arturo Castro

Castro joins a roster of new cast additions that includes Paul Adelstein, Rob YangMark St. CyrRebecca KoonPeter Grosz and Christina Brucato.

They join the previously announced line-up of the Mark Mylod-directed feature: Anya Taylor-Joy, Ralph Fiennes, Nicholas Hoult, Hong Chau (Elsa), Janet McTeer (Lillian Bloom), John Leguizamo (as Movie Star), Aimee Carrero (Felicity), Reed Birney (Richard) and Judith Light (Anne).

Based on an original screenplay by Seth Reiss and Will TracyThe Menu follows a young couple, Margot and Tyler (Taylor-Joy and Hoult), who travel to a remote island to eat at an exclusive restaurant where Chef Slowik (Fiennes) has prepared a lavish menu, with some shocking surprises.

Castro will portray Soren.

He previously appeared on the Comedy Central series Broad City and the Netflix series Narcos.

García to Direct “We’re Just Married”

Rodrigo García is getting ready to tie the knot with his next feature film…

The 53-year-old Colombian-born television and film director has signed on to direct We’re Just Married.

Rodrigo Garcia

Written by David Rabe, the film will star the scribe’s daughter, American Horror Story’s Lily Rabe.

“I’m ecstatic to be in the Rabe business with David and Lily,” said Garcia. “This script is a perfect portrait of a highly complicated, emotionally charged and painfully funny romantic triangle. And, like all of David Rabe’s works, it is a gift to writers and directors.”

García, the son of Colombian writer Gabriel García Márquez, most recently directed Albert Nobbs, which landed stars Glenn Close and Janet McTeer acting Academy Award nominations last year.

He’s also served as a director on HBO’s highly acclaimed dramas Carnivàle. In Treatment and Six Feet Under.

Bichir’s Got “Spirit”…

Demián Bichir is reaping the recognition after starring in critically acclaimed film about an East L.A. illegal immigrant gardener.

Demian Bichir A Better Life Spirit Award Nomination

The 48-year-old Mexican actor has received a Spirit Award nomination in the Best Male Lead category for his star-making role in A Better Life, a poignant film about a father’s love and the lengths he’ll go to give his child the opportunities he never had.

Bichir—who depicted Fidel Castro in Steven Soderbergh’s Che and had a recurring role on Showtime’s Weeds—will face off against Hollywood heavyweights Ryan Gosling (Drive) and Woody Harrelson (Rampart), as well as Jean Dujardin (The Artist)
and Michael Shannon (Take Shelter).

But Bichir isn’t the only Hispanic actor getting some Spirit love…

Transgender actress Harmony Santana has received a Best Supporting Female nomination for playing Michael/Vanessa in the coming out drama Gun Hill Road, the same role that landed her a Gotham Award nomination for Breakthrough Actor. She’s up against Jessica Chastain (Take Shelter),
 Anjelica Huston (50/50),
Janet McTeer (Albert Nobbs) and Shailene Woodley (The Descendants).

With five nods each, The Artist and Take Shelter lead this year’s nominations for the Spirit Awards, which honor films made outside of the Hollywood studio system.

Winners will be announced at the 27th annual Spirit Awards daytime ceremony on Saturday, February 25 that will be broadcast later in the evening on the IFC channel.

The Spirit Awards are produced by Film Independent—the non-profit arts organization that also puts on the Los Angeles Film Festival.