Poor Things 2023

Movie · 142 min · English · September 1, 2023

Directed by Yorgos LanthimosWritten by Tony McNamara

Starring Emma Stone, Mark Ruffalo, Willem Dafoe, Ramy Youssef, Christopher Abbott

A 2023 American horror film, Poor Things was directed by Yorgos Lanthimos and written by Tony McNamara, adapting the 1992 novel by Alasdair Gray. The movie is a collaboration between productions from Ireland, the United Kingdom, and the United States. Its cast includes Emma Stone, Mark Ruffalo, Willem Dafoe, Ramy Youssef, Christopher Abbott, and Jerrod Carmichael. The story centers on Bella Baxter (Stone), a young woman in Victorian London who is brought back to life by Dr. Godwin Baxter (Dafoe), an innovative and eccentric scientist.

Filming occurred primarily in Hungary between August and December 2021. Poor Things made its debut at the 80th Venice International Film Festival on September 1, 2023, winning the Golden Lion. Critics praised Lanthimos' direction, the screenplay, and the acting—especially that of Stone and Ruffalo. The film opened in theaters in the United States on December 8, 2023, and in Ireland and the United Kingdom on January 12, 2024 through Searchlight Pictures. It proved financially successful, earning over $117 million globally against a budget of $35 million, marking Lanthimos’ most profitable work to date.

The film was recognized as one of the top ten of 2023 by both the National Board of Review and the American Film Institute. It received multiple honors including four wins at the 96th Academy Awards, two from the 81st Golden Globe Awards, and five at the 77th British Academy Film Awards. Stone was awarded Best Actress in each of these ceremonies.