Ari Aster Eyes ‘Eddington 2’ and New Horror Film After A24’s Costly Box Office Flops

Ari Aster, the filmmaker known for “Hereditary” and “Midsommar,” is already thinking about his next projects. Even though his last two films, “Beau Is Afraid” and “Eddington,” didn’t do well at the box office, Aster is not slowing down. Speaking on The Big Picture podcast, he revealed that he’s working on a few ideas, including a sequel to “Eddington,” a new horror movie, and a sci-fi film.

“I’ve got a sequel that I’ve been cooking up for Eddington,” Aster said during his chat with host Sean Fennessey. “I got a horror movie I’m interested in doing. There’s a sci-fi adaptation that I’m thinking about. I’m trying to determine the right thing to do next.”

However, getting these projects off the ground might be tough. Aster’s last two movies lost big money for A24. The studio reportedly spent $35 million on “Beau Is Afraid” and around $30 million on “Eddington,” but neither film found much of an audience. “Beau Is Afraid” especially struggled, with A24 believed to have lost around $35 million on it.

Aster once joked that he was surprised A24 gave him $35 million to make “Beau Is Afraid.” “I couldn’t believe they were stupid enough to give me that much money,” he said. The studio also backed “Eddington” with a large budget, but early reports suggest it only made about $4.5 million in its opening weekend.

Aster’s early films brought him success and made him a standout name in modern horror. But his recent work hasn’t connected the same way. Both “Beau Is Afraid” and “Eddington” were described as unusual and hard to market. That kind of creative risk might now make it harder for him to get big budgets from studios.

Despite the financial trouble, many still support Aster for pushing creative boundaries. In an industry focused more on safe, formula-driven movies, he continues to make films that are different from the norm.

Still, going back to horror might be his smartest move. His first film, “Hereditary,” was both a hit with critics and made money. Horror remains a reliable genre at the box office, and fans hope Aster will return to that style.

For now, his future projects remain uncertain. Whether he gets to make “Eddington 2” or his next horror film could depend on finding the right studio willing to take the risk.