Ari Aster Continues Writing Despite Father Advising Against After ‘Beau Is Afraid’ Flop

Ari Aster, known for his acclaimed horror films Hereditary and Midsommar, faced criticism and poor box office performance with his third film, Beau Is Afraid, which diverged into surrealist tragicomedy. Following its underwhelming reception, Aster revealed on the WTF with Marc Maron podcast that his father advised him to stop writing movies, though Aster chose to continue and wrote his fourth film, Eddington. Beau Is Afraid grossed around $12 million against a budget of $35-$50 million and received mixed critical reviews, leaving Aster disappointed but also acknowledging the lessons learned from the experience. Despite not considering himself primarily a horror filmmaker, Aster's early success in the genre remains highly regarded, and some critics and fans hope he returns to it. Eddington, starring Joaquin Phoenix and Pedro Pascal, marks Aster's return to directing and writing after Beau Is Afraid's failure, with hopes for better reception. The tension between Aster's artistic direction and commercial outcomes highlights the challenges faced by filmmakers balancing personal vision with audience expectations.