Martin Scorsese and Leonardo DiCaprio, who have teamed up for six feature films since 2002, are expected to begin filming their latest project early in 2024. Their upcoming film centers on an adaptation of Peter Cameron’s ghost story novel, What Happens at Night, marking a return to psychological thriller and horror themes since their 2010 joint effort, Shutter Island. This Martin Scorsese DiCaprio reunion has sparked anticipation given the director’s history of many projects that struggle to move beyond development phases.
Jennifer Lawrence to Join Cast Alongside DiCaprio
Jennifer Lawrence, who co-starred with DiCaprio in Netflix’s Don’t Look Up, has signed on to lead in What Happens at Night. While discussing Lynne Ramsay’s film Die My Love in an interview with IndieWire, Lawrence hinted that filming could begin in the early months of 2024. She expressed cautious optimism, stating,
“But one never knows with these things. I’ll believe it when I’m there. We’re going to dig in.”
Her comments suggest momentum is building, though the exact start date remains uncertain.
Plot and Creative Team Behind the Upcoming Thriller
Reports first emerged in September that Scorsese had selected What Happens at Night as his next undertaking, with Leonardo DiCaprio and Jennifer Lawrence portraying a married couple. The story follows them traveling to Europe to adopt a baby but encountering strange obstacles after checking into an isolated hotel. This narrative is adapted from Cameron’s 2020 novel of the same name, with Patrick Marber, known for Notes on a Scandal, handling the screenplay.
The novel’s plot describes an American couple arriving at the Borgarfjaroasysla Grand Imperial Hotel in a snowy European city. The wife, weakened by cancer, struggles through the adoption process, while the husband fears his wife’s illness may jeopardize their chance to adopt. The hotel’s eerie environment and its mysterious guests—a flamboyant singer, a dissolute businessman, and a faith healer—create an unsettling atmosphere. The couple’s journey not only tests their resolve to adopt a child but also challenges their understanding of their marriage and life itself.
“An unnamed American couple travels to a strange, snowy European city to adopt a baby. It’s a difficult journey that leaves the wife, who is struggling with cancer, desperately weak, and her husband worries that her illness will prevent the orphanage from releasing their child. On arrival, the couple checks into the cavernous and eerily deserted Borgarfjaroasysla Grand Imperial Hotel, where the bar is always open, and the lobby populated with an enigmatic cast of characters ranging from an ancient, flamboyant chanteuse to a debauched businessman to an enigmatic faith healer. Nothing is as it seems in this baffling, frozen world, and the more the couple struggles to claim their baby, the less they seem to know about their marriage, themselves, and life itself.”
Anticipation and Challenges Ahead for the Project
While the news of this collaboration excites many fans, the history of Martin Scorsese’s projects occasionally stalling adds a layer of uncertainty. However, the confirmed involvement of both DiCaprio and Lawrence, paired with preliminary development progress, offer hope that filming may proceed as planned. The tale’s mix of mystery, psychological tension, and emotional depth fits well within Scorsese and DiCaprio’s established body of work.
As production potentially launches in early 2024, audiences will watch closely to see if this highly anticipated Scorsese-DiCaprio reunion fulfills the promise of uniting strong performances with atmospheric storytelling. With such significant talent attached, the film could become a noteworthy addition to both the director’s and actors’ filmographies, especially as it explores haunting new territory inspired by Peter Cameron’s novel.
