Some key players in the two of the year’s biggest movies are joining forces for their next project, with The Substance star Margaret Qualley and Longlegs producer Dan Kagan teaming up for the Gothic horror movie Victorian Psycho. Qualley is hot off the success of Coralie Fargeat’s body-horror masterpiece – which has gone on to become Mubi’s biggest theatrical release to date – while the Kagan-produced Longlegs became the highest-grossing original horror movie of the year.
Zachary Wigon is set to direct Victorian Psycho, with the script penned by best-selling author Virginia Feito, whose upcoming novel the project is based on. This will be the second teaming for Wigon and Qualley, as the two previously worked together on the director’s 2022 psychological thriller Sanctuary. Set in 1858, the film will follow Qualley’s character as she settles into her new role as governess at a Gothic manor, while at the same time trying to keep her “psychopathic tendencies” at bay. Check out the full synopsis below.
“In 1858, a young, eccentric governess named Winifred Notty (Qualley) arrives at the remote gothic manor known as Ensor House. Winifred’s responsibilities include teaching the children table manners and educating them about their family’s history, all whilst hiding her psychopathic tendencies. As Winifred assimilates into life at Ensor House, staff members begin to inexplicably disappear, and the owners of the estate begin to wonder if there is something amiss about their new governess.”
Margaret Qualley’s Career Continues to Skyrocket
Getting her start in 2013, Qualley has only been in the business for a little over a decade, but in that short time she’s managed to rack up an impressive number of roles. She first gained notice for her part in HBO’s The Leftovers, which then led to her breakout performance in Quentin Tarantino’s 2019 blockbuster Once Upon a Time… in Hollywood. Taking on the persona of “Pussycat,” Qualley earned herself a Screen Actors Guild Award nomination in 2020 for her efforts, and has since appeared in the likes of Yorgos Lanthimos’ Poor Things and Kinds of Kindness, as well as Drive-Away Dolls.
“Working with Zach again feels like a rare gift, and I can’t wait to step into this twisted world he’s created,” she said of teaming once more with Wigon for Victorian Psycho. Kagan echoed her comments about the movie featuring a “twisted world,” as he says the script is definitely one of a kind: “From its first few pages to its terrifying ending, Victorian Psycho entirely delivered on its promise of being a ride like nothing I’d read before. I couldn’t be more excited to be bringing this movie to life.”
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As for Wigon, he expressed his excitement over teaming again with Qualley to bring Victorian Psycho to life, calling her character a “complex antihero.” He also took a moment to pump up Feito, whose script he calls a mix of different genres all blended together to form what promises to be quite the trip.
“As soon as I discovered this thoroughly insane and unforgettable character, I knew I had to introduce moviegoers to Winifred Notty. I am beyond thrilled that the utterly fearless Margaret Qualley will be bringing this complex antihero to vivid life. Virginia Feito’s screenplay is an audacious blend of psychodrama, satire, gore and mystery. With horror aficionado producer Dan Kagan and the support of Anton and Anonymous, I cannot wait to make Victorian Psycho.”
There’s no word yet on when Victorian Psycho will head into production, so a release date has yet to be set. In the meantime, you can check out Qualley in The Substance when it debuts on Mubi on October 31, and watch for her next year in a number of movies, including Huntington, Blue Moon, and Happy Gilmore 2.
Elisabeth Sparkle, renowned for an aerobics show, faces a devastating blow on her 50th birthday as her boss fires her. Amid her distress, a laboratory offers her a substance which promises to transform her into an enhanced version of herself.
- Release Date
- September 20, 2024
- Director
- Coralie Fargeat
- Cast
- Demi Moore , Margaret Qualley , Dennis Quaid , Gore Abrams , Hugo Diego Garcia , Olivier Raynal , Tiffany Hofstetter , Tom Morton , Jiselle Burkhalter , Axel Baille , Oscar Lesage , Matthew Géczy , Philip Schurer
- Main Genre
- Horror