Gregg Araki has lined up his next feature, The Decline of Fcking Western Civilization*, a dark comedy set to star Ashton Kutcher and Alison Brie, with Jesse Williams in talks to join the cast in a third major role.
The ensemble film is being described as Election meets American Beauty, though details of the story are being kept firmly under wraps. Production officially began in Los Angeles today.
The movie is being produced by Why Not Productions and Goodfellas. Araki is directing from a screenplay by Kevin W. Koehler, with the filmmaker having also completed revisions to the script.
The project marks Araki’s follow-up to I Want You Sex, his darkly comic erotic thriller starring Olivia Wilde and Cooper Hoffman. The film premiered to critical acclaim at Sundance before its summer release through Magnolia Pictures.
A prominent figure in the New Queer Cinema movement, Araki is known for provocative independent films including The Living End, Mysterious Skin and Kaboom. He is represented by Black Bear and Tricarico Chavez.
Kutcher’s recent credits include FX’s body-horror series The Beauty, where he appeared alongside Evan Peters, Anthony Ramos, Jeremy Pope and Rebecca Hall. He is represented by CAA, Untitled and Sloane, Offer, Weber & Dern.
Brie recently produced and starred opposite her husband, Dave Franco, in the acclaimed Neon horror film Together. She also appeared this year in Amazon MGM Studios’ Masters of the Universe. Brie is represented by WME, Rise Management and Sloane, Offer, Weber & Dern.
Williams, a longtime Grey’s Anatomy cast member, is also set to appear in the fifth and final season of Apple’s The Morning Show. His recent television credits include Hulu’s Only Murders in the Building. He is represented by CAA, Entertainment 360, Granderson Des Rochers and Yorn, Levine, Barnes.
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