Nekrokosm (Panos Cosmatos) - A24

[DR Herbert West]

‘Mandy’ Filmmaker Panos Cosmatos Teams With A24, XYZ Films for Sci-Fi Fantasy ‘Nekrokosm’

Panos Cosmatos has kept a low-profile since making his last film, Mandy, the surprise hit that starred Nicolas Cage and released in 2018.

Now the filmmaker is back with a new feature project, reuniting with producer XYZ Films and working for the first time with A24, the artist-driven and envelope-pushing production and distribution company.

Titled Nekrokosm, the project is a science fiction fantasy that has Maegan Houang (Counterpart) writing the script from a story by her and Cosmatos. Cosmatos will direct.

Nekrokosm’s logline is being kept secret, but is described as a “phantasmagorical fantasy nightmare” and set deep within a strange galaxy where two lovers are torn apart as they try to survive a malevolent invasion.
A24 will produce alongside Nate Bolotin of XYZ Films. A24 will also finance and handle worldwide releasing.

Houang has some experience with the far out, being part of the writing team of Counterpart, Starz’s parallel dimension-jumping spy thriller that starred J.K. Simmons. She also worked on FX’s upcoming miniseries, Shogun, and co-wrote Justin Chon’s forthcoming feature Jamojaya.

XYZ, a name producer, financier and sales outfit in the genre space, has action movie Havoc, directed by Gareth Evans and starring Tom Hardy and Forrest Whitaker, in the can for Netflix. The company established a relationship with Cosmatos on the sale and distribution of his debut, sci-fi horror flick Beyond the Black Rainbow, in 2010

Cosmatos and XYZ reunited on the production and worldwide sales of Mandy, his follow-up that was eight years in the making. The movie, a psychedelic revenge horror thriller, premiered at Sundance in 2018 and released theatrically in September of that year by RLJ Entertainment. The movie proved to be a surprise hit and served as a career rebirth for Cage, who at the time had been on a run of forgettable low-budget action movies. Both Cage and Cosmatos enjoyed near-universal acclaim.

While he pondered his next movie, Panos did take time to helm an episode of Guillermo Del Toros’ Cabinet of Curiosities for Netflix, which is in post-production.

[RandomMovieFan]

Yay!

[Foggy]

”phantasmagorical fantasy nightmare”

Pretty sure that’s just what you get when you look up Panos Cosmatos in the dictionary.

[kylor]

Sounds like it could be great. I'll give it a go!

[The Debts]

I am SO on board with this.

[BloodshotUSA]

I'm in. I been waiting for Panos follow up film since I walked out of the theater after Mandy ended.

[-JKR-]

This is going to be one ****ed up ride!

[NI-Gunner]

Uhh, yes! Please and thank you!

[acroyear2]

Though disliked by many, Beyond the Black Rainbow is still one of my favorite sci-fi movies of the 2010's. So excited to see what he does for A24.

[prkchopexpress]

entirely on board for anything he makes.

[AuYeung]

Originally Posted by acroyear2

Though disliked by many, Beyond the Black Rainbow is still one of my favorite sci-fi movies of the 2010's. So excited to see what he does for A24.

I'm also part of the Black Rainbow Fan Club. I didn't think it quite stuck the landing but loved the aesthetics, Michael Rogers's truly creepy villain, and everything else about the movie.

This probably belongs under the Unpopular Opinion thread but I thought BtBR was better than Mandy. Cosmatos had a bigger budget for Mandy and he got a little too self-indulgent. The nearly non-existent budget for BtBR forced him to be much more disciplined and that's what I'm hoping his approach will be for this new movie.

[Pi905]

With Mandy being my favorite movie and also with how much I adore Beyond the Black Rainbow, I've been itching for his episode of Guillermo Del Toro's Cabinet of Curiosities. When I learned about this though, I think I experienced a feeling similar to the Black Skulls diving into their "special batch". XYZ helped him achieve Mandy, and A24 always seems game for a unique horror-laced tale. I think between the two of these studios, Cosmatos (and Houang) will be given the freedom that you just have to give for movies like his.

On top of that, my favorite part of Mandy is the less popular first half, mainly because of how subtly and purely Red and Mandy's relationship is portrayed. Hearing that Nekrokosm centers around "two lovers" makes me excited for another couple like that.

[acroyear2]

Originally Posted by AuYeung

I'm also part of the Black Rainbow Fan Club. I didn't think it quite stuck the landing but loved the aesthetics, Michael Rogers's truly creepy villain, and everything else about the movie.

This probably belongs under the Unpopular Opinion thread but I thought BtBR was better than Mandy. Cosmatos had a bigger budget for Mandy and he got a little too self-indulgent. The nearly non-existent budget for BtBR forced him to be much more disciplined and that's what I'm hoping his approach will be for this new movie.

I love just about everything about BtBR, especially the soundtrack. I even like the anti-climatic "showdown" (I mean, who saw that coming? ).

His was the first movie I saw to use colors like he did, or nail an 80's retro aesthetic so successfully. I'm not saying he's a pioneer in that regard (as I'm sure someone can point to earlier movie examples), but with his style I was completely hooked in.

I would like to see Cosmatos work with a bigger budget, yet at the same time be mindful of what made BtBR so unique.

[Pi905]

Originally Posted by acroyear2

I love just about everything about BtBR, especially the soundtrack. I even like the anti-climatic "showdown" (I mean, who saw that coming? ).

His was the first movie I saw to use colors like he did, or nail an 80's retro aesthetic so successfully. I'm not saying he's a pioneer in that regard (as I'm sure someone can point to earlier movie examples), but with his style I was completely hooked in.

I would like to see Cosmatos work with a bigger budget, yet at the same time be mindful of what made BtBR so unique.

Speaking of the score... I wonder who he will work with to score Nekrokosm. In the liner notes of the vinyl for Mandy, he explains how Johann was like a brother to him and a perfect collaborative partner for Mandy and any future projects thanks to their mutual understanding. Maybe Cosmatos will go back to Sinoia Caves, or maybe it will be a different composer.

The scores of Beyond the Black Rainbow and Mandy are highlights in both films, so I trust he'll search until he finds the right fit just as he did with his last two films.

[acroyear2]

Originally Posted by Pi905

Speaking of the score... I wonder who he will work with to score Nekrokosm. In the liner notes of the vinyl for Mandy, he explains how Johann was like a brother to him and a perfect collaborative partner for Mandy and any future projects thanks to their mutual understanding. Maybe Cosmatos will go back to Sinoia Caves, or maybe it will be a different composer.

The scores of Beyond the Black Rainbow and Mandy are highlights in both films, so I trust he'll search until he finds the right fit just as he did with his last two films.

Depends on the tone of the film I suppose.

Mica Levi came to mind, but I am only going by (the quite excellent) Under the Skin OST. Perhaps a bit sparse for a Cosmatos film.

Perhaps Oneohtrix Point Never? His own studio albums and soundtrack work (Good Time, Uncut Gems) can sometimes evoke a twisted version of Philip Glass.

Along those lines I'd love to hear his movies paired with an established electronic artist. Boards of Canada would seem a good fit, if they ever resurface.

...but I would certainly welcome a return of Sinoia Caves!