Don’t Worry Darling is set to be a departure from the director’s funny feature debut, Booksmart: a psychological thriller about a 1950s housewife who lives with her husband in an experimental utopia.
Despite her luxurious surroundings, she soon begins to fear that something eviler may be lurking beneath the surface, according to the logline.
Wilde has yet to release a complete trailer, but on September 13, 2021, he teased fans with a tantalizing first peek at the film through Instagram.
The 10-second teaser begins with Pugh looking composed in blue gingham and a 1950s bouffant, before cutting to an unsettling miniature of the suburbs and a passionate kiss between Pugh and Styles.
Additionally, we see a rowdy party, a team of synchronized swimmers, and an image of Pugh looking distressed underwater, as well as another of her with her head wrapped in plastic wrapping that she tears off with her blood-red fingernails.Â
The very first still from Don’t Worry Darling was revealed on April 26. Styles and Pugh are embraced in bed in Darling. Both are adorned with large gold rings, and Pugh is dressed in a pale blue lacy slip with honey-colored locks falling down her back.
As they gaze into each other’s eyes, there is an air of intimacy and desire, but also of unease, probably caused by the idea that they are concealing secrets from one another that will ultimately ruin their lives.
Carey and Shane Van Dyke wrote the narrative, which was included on the renowned list of the best-unproduced screenplays in Hollywood.
Wilde then enlisted Katie Silberman, another of her Booksmart co-writers, to polish it. In an interview with Vogue, Olivia Wilde described it as such.
She noted that the film’s focus was on the question, “How much are you prepared to give up to do what is right?” Are you truly willing to blow up the system that serves you?” The concept was sparked by a discussion with Gloria Steinem about how to respond to Trump’s election, during which the activist advised Wilde not to pay taxes.
“I responded, ‘What?’ I am a landowner. I have children. “I’m not sure I can do that,” she responded. Then she realized, “This is why nothing will change.”
That was the start of Don’t Be Afraid, Darling. I was thinking, who is this individual who is willing to demolish a structure designed totally for their comfort? That is selflessness on a level I appreciate but recognize is not how I spend my life. Â
Wilde said in the same interview that psychosexual Adrian Lyne films such as Fatal Attraction and Indecent Proposal served as a major inspiration since they are “very erotic, in a grown-up sense.” ‘Why isn’t there any excellent sex in films anymore?’ I kept asking.
The writer of the essay adds that one scene, which will supposedly feature “an industrious Styles and a most gratified Pugh,” will garner significant attention—and, if the devotion of Styles’s fan base is any indicator, hysteria—when Don’t Worry, Darling is released.
When I pluck up the nerve to inquire about it, Wilde becomes technical, discussing overhead angles and wraparound shots.
But she easily admits that she wants her audience to “‘realize how rarely they witness female hunger, and precisely this form of female satisfaction.'” Wilde intended to star in the film until she saw Midsomer and was blown away by Florence Pugh’s performance.
“It’s exciting whenever new talent emerges,” she told Vogue. Instead, the director cast himself in a supporting part.Â
 In February 2021, Wilde shared an Instagram photo of Styles with the caption: “Little known fact: the majority of male actors do not want to play supporting roles in female-led films.”
The industry has convinced them that accepting these roles diminishes their power (i.e., financial worth), which is one of the reasons it’s so difficult to finance female-driven films.
Without a doubt, it’s difficult to find actors who understand why it would be worthwhile to give a woman the focus. Enter [Harry Styles], our Jack.
Not only did he embrace the chance to showcase the wonderful [Florence Pugh] as our Alice, but he instilled each moment with a deep sense of compassion.
He was not obligated to join our circus, but he did so with humility and elegance, and he continues to astound us daily with his talent, warmth, and ability to drive backward. The film is set to premiere in theatres on September 23, 2022.Â
Edited by – Vanshika Sahu
Published by – Mohd Faizan
