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Ari Aster became a horror sensation overnight with his 2018 theatrical debut, Hereditary. Starring Toni Collette as a grieving mother unraveling a demonic conspiracy, the film was met with overwhelmingly positive reviews, as critics praised Aster’s ability to slowly increase the dread and extract mesmerizing performances from the entire cast. Matching that critical response, Hereditary also grossed over $90 million worldwide on a $10 million budget, becoming A24’s highest-grossing film at the time. In the years since, the movie has only grown in reputation, frequently appearing on lists of the best horror movies of the 2010s and sometimes even eclipsing Aster’s other projects, such as Midsommar, Beau Is Afraid, and Eddington. It’s no wonder, then, that Aster has considered a Hereditary prequel.
During a Q&A at the American Cinematheque’s annual Bleak Week retrospective (via GoldDerby), Aster revealed that he has already written a prequel to Hereditary. “I wrote a prequel to this,” Aster told the audience. “It never feels like the right time. It’s a prequel, not a sequel, so I don’t know where this goes.” The script is complete doesn’t mean the prequel will get done, though, as when asked about the success of Hereditary, Aster confessed he has ambivalent feelings. “In some ways, it’s really irritating,” he said. “I’m trying to get better. Every film I make I actually feel kind of prouder of than the last, and yet it’s like diminishing returns as far as their reception is concerned. I’m thrilled. You want something to last. It’s great. More people come up to me and say they love this film than any of the others.”
Should Ari Aster Make a Hereditary Prequel?
From a commercial standpoint, a Hereditary prequel seems like an obvious bet. After Hereditary hauled $90 million at the box office, Midsommar dropped to $48 million, while Beau Is Afraid grossed just $11.1 million. Eddington performed modestly better at roughly $13.7 million worldwide, but it still flopped. Given that his latest movies were considerably more expensive to produce — $ 35 million for Beau Is Afraid and $25 million for Eddington — Aster has been bleeding money for the past few years. Things are not that different when it comes to critical reception, as Hereditary‘s 90% Rotten Tomatoes approval is higher than Midsommar‘s 83% score, Beau Is Afraid‘s 67%, and Eddington‘s 69%. The director is right to address the “diminishing returns” of his filmography.
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That said, Aster has never been a commercial filmmaker, and that’s exactly why his best work stands out. What makes Hereditary, Midsommar, Beau Is Afraid, and even Eddington fascinating is that each one refuses to offer audiences easy solutions or even a clear storyline. Aster is willing to experiment with the language of cinema, which often means creating some of the most disorientating sequences we can experience. That doesn’t always land, but his best works couldn’t have been created without the willingness to take risks. If Aster ever decided to shoot his Hereditary prequel script, it should be because he wants to try something new and is connected to the project. Otherwise, Aster risks diluting his unique voice in favor of the average commercial incentives of the Hollywood industry.
Do you want to see Ari Aster’s Hereditary prequel, or should he leave that world alone? Leave a comment below and join the conversation now in the Forum!
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