What happens when you put the star of the best film of 2023 and the co-lead of one of the best films of 2024 on the screen at the same time? No, it’s not the starting point for a strangely specific cinephile joke, but rather a clumsy way of saying that Past lives“Greta Lee and We are all strangers“Andrew Scott is making a film together. DeadlineThe dynamic acting duo has reportedly landed the lead role in a sci-fi romance. My notes on Marsthe English-language debut of Hungarian filmmaker Lili Horvát (Preparations for a gathering for an unknown period of time).
Lili Horvát wrote the screenplay for this film herself. The film is set to be shot between Budapest and Vienna early next year. And while further details about the cast remain secret for now, we have an intriguing description of the plot of Deadline‘s post. It reads as follows: “(My notes on Mars) centers on Margot (Lee), a brilliant young scientist with a broken marriage who inexplicably disappears while hiking with her husband Sam (Scott) and a group of friends. A few weeks later, she miraculously reappears on the day of her own memorial service. Margot is clearly not the same as she was before the accident. Nevertheless, Sam sees his wife’s miraculous reappearance as a second chance.
In a statement announcing the film, Horvát, who had previously said her successor to the 2020 film Preparations… would be a contemporary interpretation of Pygmalion – describes her latest film as “a story about the labyrinthine human psyche, about the ever-changing faces of love.” She goes on to note that she is “particularly drawn to characters who dare to make surprising, unconventional choices in both their personal and professional lives,” and draws a line between the leads of her new film and the roles they play. “I think that’s true for Greta and Andrew too. It’s an incredible honor for me to be able to accompany them on their journey of creating Margot and Sam Fogel.”
With Horvát behind the camera and two of the most exciting actors of today in front of it, we have no notes yet for My notes on Mars beyond “that sounds fantastic!” and “please inject it into our eyes as soon as possible!” However, if Lili is accepting alternative title suggestions, how about Past lives of us strangers? No? Okay… let’s stick to our daily business.