Brady Corbet's upcoming film will be X-rated, filmed entirely in 70mm, and will cover a time span of three centuries.

      After the success of last year's drama, The Brutalist, Mona Fastvold and Brady Corbet have returned this year with The Testament of Ann Lee, with Fastvold directing and Corbet co-writing. During the press tour, new details emerged about Corbet's upcoming directorial project, which he initially mentioned about a year ago. As anticipated, it's set to be another ambitious work: it will span three centuries, be rated X, filmed entirely in 70mm, and run approximately four hours.

      “Well, what I can say about the new film is that there's been a lot of misinformation. It’s accurate that it’s an X-rated film and that most of it takes place in the 1970s, but it actually covers the 19th century up to the present day — the focus is mainly on the ’70s. The film really defies genre,” Corbet explained to THR. “However, it has been incorrectly reported that the film is related to The Texas Chain Saw Massacre, which isn't true. That’s just not correct. The confusion likely arose because I mentioned making a film set in the 1970s. While it will certainly draw inspiration from films from that era, it’s not a slasher film. I’d love to make one someday, but this project isn’t it.”

      Corbet shared that the film will delve into themes of American mysticism and the economy of Northern California, running around four hours. He noted, “I will be conducting camera tests for it all day tomorrow. This is our third round of tests. We're filming in very rare formats that have typically been used for specific shots in movies, but not for entire films. The entire movie will be shot in 70mm, which we’re really excited about. We plan to utilize both eight perforation and 15 perforation, which is thrilling since it’s not an action film. I enjoy grand spectacles and technical releases, so it's fascinating to create a film that completely contrasts that, yet is shot using similar technology. We are aiming to start next summer, but with nine months to go, a lot could change, though prep begins next month. It's uncharted territory for us, which is equally nerve-wracking and exciting.”

      Rory O’Connor noted in his Venice review of Fastvold and Corbet’s latest film that “In The Testament of Ann Lee, Amanda Seyfried delivers the best performance of her career. The actress conveys deep emotion as she performs a selection of 18th-century hymns, revised by composer Daniel Blumberg, who has recently gained attention for his work on The Brutalist. Directed by Fastvold and co-written by her partner Corbet, Testament feels so interconnected with their previous film that it’s not difficult to envision Seyfried’s Lee — the real-life founder of the Shaker movement who believed she was the second coming — and Adrien Brody’s László Tóth existing within the same grainy, textured, 70mm frame (albeit a century apart).”