First images of the new Darren Aronofsky with Austin Butler as a former fallen baseball player
The director returns with Caught Stealing, a thriller that takes place in the New York in the 1990s.
After The Whalea heartbreaking drama carried by Brendan Fraser, Darren Aronofsky wanted to have fun for his next feature film. Again, the American director relies on a book, the novel Caught Stealing by Charlie Huston. In an interview led by Vanity Fair, which also reveals exclusive photos of the film, he declares:
“I had the impression that if Hollywood had always excelled, it was in entertainment. I looked at my projects and I said to myself: the most fun, it is Charlie’s scenario (…) There are a lot of characters and a lot of strange secondary intrigues. But I think it’s really a detective novel”.
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Finally, fun in the manner of Aronofsky … the director of the disturbing Requiem for a Dream,, Black Swan or Mother! is generally fond of dark scenarios. Caught Stealing takes place from it New York of the late 1990sera and place which he particularly likes and where he himself grew up:
“The advantage of the East Village is that there are so many great characters. This film is filled with eccentrics. And it is a bit of my experience and that is why I love the East Village so much (…) I go there from high school. I was a little boy from Brooklyn, and it was the coolest place in the world, partly because it was the only one that welcomed minors at the time.
This is also the case of the main character of this new film, Hank Thompson, A former baseball player embodied by Austin Butler. Caught Stealing follows his descent into hell and his survival in the criminal world of New York. During the shooting, Aronofsky recommended to Butler to review After Hours from Martin Scorseseto get an idea of the desired atmosphere. This film tells the crazy night of a New Yorker interpreted by Griffin Dunne – also present in Caught Stealing – who cannot go home because of a chain of adventures.
“Basically, it’s Austin against all these different types of criminals”explains Aronofsky, before adding: “The Russians, the Hebrews, the Puerto Ricans… they are all after him”. Among these different characters, we find in particular that performed by rapper Bad Bunny. A new image shows him standing, surrounded by two other members of the Portorician gang. “There was a character who suited him perfectly and he was great. He was so earth-to-earth, he was really one of ours, he was an integral part of the team” says the filmmaker. Another of these criminals is the Hank’s Punk neighbor, Russ, embodied by a Matt Smith Completely unrecognizable with its ultra-colored Iroquoise crest.
Matt Smith unrecognizable in the new Darren Aronofsky
Among the other images unveiled by Vanity Fair, we discover the actress Zoë Kravitz in the role of Yvonne. “She is a ambulancer, a caring, cool and strong woman”explains Austin Butler, who has a romantic relationship with his character in the film. “During the casting, I was looking for someone who was the kind of authentic New Yorker whom I knew at the time, who could not bear the blows. And it is logical that Zoë could intervene”adds Darren Aronofsky. Another photograph shows us the character embodied by Regina King (If Beale Street could speak)a New York criminal brigade policewoman. She is in a face to face with Austin Butler, then very laughed.
Darren Aronofsky set his sights on Austin Butler for the main role after having met him during his promotional tour for Elvisrole which earned him to be appointed to the Oscars the same year as Brendan Fraser, winner for The Whale ! The actor quickly accepted the filmmaker’s proposal, being himself a fan of Requiem for a Dream.
The release of Caught Stealing is currently planned for August 27, 2025.
