Ari Aster may have found the second lead for his next film, and it is not the pairing most people would have guessed. Jacob Elordi is in talks to star opposite Scarlett Johansson in Scapegoat, a new A24 project written and directed by Aster.
The news comes from Deadline, which reports that negotiations began last week. Elordi has not officially signed, so the careful wording matters: he could join the film, but the deal is not finished.
Aster is keeping the story private. Several possible descriptions have circulated online, including ideas involving a doctor, an internet-famous person, science fiction, and romance. Deadline says insiders do not agree on any of them. For now, none should be treated as the plot.
Elordi Is Choosing His Next Role Carefully
Elordi has spent the past year moving between very different projects. He earned an Oscar nomination for Frankenstein, returned for the final season of Euphoria, and starred opposite Margot Robbie in Wuthering Heights. His next announced film is Ridley Scott's action thriller The Dog Stars.
Deadline reports that he took a break after the demanding Frankenstein production and had several offers available. Aster reportedly wanted Elordi for this specific part, and Elordi chose to begin negotiations rather than rush into another project.
That makes Scapegoat more interesting than a simple casting update. Elordi is coming off roles that asked him to be romantic, frightening, and physically transformed. Aster tends to push actors into uncomfortable emotional territory, so the collaboration could show another side of him.
Scarlett Johansson Is Already at the Center of the Film
Variety also reports that Elordi is in talks, while Johansson remains the confirmed star. Aster selected her earlier in the year as he prepared his follow-up to Eddington.
