Paul Dano is trying his hand at horror.
The actor, known for such films as “The Batman,” “The Fabelmans” and “Little Miss Sunshine,” has officially boarded Paramount’s “Possession” remake, written and directed by “Smile” filmmaker Parker Finn. Dano joins Callum Turner and Margaret Qualley in the cast.
“Possession” reimagines Andrzej Żuławski’s cult classic 1981 horror film about a spy, his wife and a series of disturbing events that spin out of a pending divorce. Presumably, Turner takes on the role originated by Sam Neill, while Qualley steps into the Isabelle Adjani part. If the new Paramount film follows the same narrative as the original, then both Turner and Qualley will take on dual roles for the production.
Details about this psychological horror remake are being kept tightly under wraps, with Dano’s role in the project presently unknown. The original movie, set and filmed in West Berlin, featured Margit Carstensen, Heinz Bennent, Johanna Hofer, Carl Duering and Shaun Lawton in supporting roles.
Though Dano has starred in a number of thrillers and features with a dark edge, the established actor is relatively new to the horror genre. Qualley, meanwhile, follows up on her recent horror success with “The Substance,” which went on to become one of the genre’s rare Best Picture nominees at the Academy Awards.
“Possession” will be Finn’s first feature outside of the “Smile” franchise, a duology he originated in 2022 (based on his own short film) and followed up in 2024. Both movies were massive commercial successes, with the first making more than $200 million on a reported $17 million budget. “Smile 2” also gained a stronger critical response, with Naomi Scott receiving particular praise for her leading performance.
Finn and Jonathan Fass produce “Possession” for Bad Feeling, joined by Roy Lee and Andrew Childs for Vertigo, as well as Robert Pattinson. Marc Bienstock serves as executive producer.
