Director Ari Aster has been at the center of media attention following the commercial failure of his film Beau Is Afraid, which, with a budget of 50 million dollars, only managed to gross 12 million. This major setback has become one of the most significant missteps in A24’s history, the production company that has heavily invested in his cinematic vision. Despite the setbacks, Aster has continued his work and recently launched his new proposal, Eddington, which cost 25 million and has only grossed 9.1 million.
A father who saw the spectacular failure coming
The criticism of his works has also been a recurring theme, especially coming from his own father, a New York jazz musician. He has not hesitated to express his skepticism about his son’s projects. In a recent appearance on the podcast “WTF with Marc Maron,” Aster revealed that his father once told him: “maybe you shouldn’t write the next one” after the failure of Beau is Afraid, advice that the filmmaker decided to dismiss.
Despite these criticisms and the box office results, Aster has mentioned receiving support from some fans, which has provided him with some comfort in light of the mixed critical response. “I was very saddened that it was so disparaged… There were many people who reached out to me to say that they loved it,” Aster commented, reflecting his struggle against the disappointment of the commercial results.
Ari Aster does not stop in the face of failures and already has several projects in his portfolio as a producer, including the adaptation of Death Stranding, seeking to reach a new audience. We will have to see if, in his quest for reinvention, he finds the connection that has eluded him in his work as a director.
