Though he's been a producer and helping other filmmakers with projects, Darren Aronofsky hasn't directed a film himself since 2017's divisive Mother! He's aiming to end that dry spell, hiring Brendan Fraser to star in a new adaptation of a play called The Whale.
Samuel D. Hunter's stage work debuted off-Broadway in 2012 and before it finished its run, it had won both the Drama Desk Award Lucille Lortel Award for outstanding play. The story follows a 600-pound middle-aged man named Charlie and his attempts to reconnect with his 17-year-old daughter. The two became estranged after Charlie abandoned his family for his gay lover, who later died. Charlie then turned to compulsive eating out of grief.
It's certainly a fascinating concept and if Fraser makes it work, it could re-ignite his own career. Hunter is adapting the play, and appears thrilled that it's making the move to screens. "Adapting my play into a screenplay has been a real labor of love for me," he tells Deadline. "This story is deeply personal and I’m very thankful it will have the chance to reach a wider audience. I’ve been a fan of Darren’s ever since I saw Requiem For A Dream when I was a college freshman writing my first plays, and I’m so grateful that he’s bringing his singular talent and vision to this film."