Midsommar director’s cut will give summer a horrific extension this weekend

Last Updated on July 30, 2021

In a few weeks, the leaves are going to start falling, turning the ground into a shade of orange that reminds us that Halloween is fast approaching and, yes, that winter is coming. But just because summer is ending doesn’t mean you have to say goodbye to sommar just yet, as you will get a chance to see one of the most talked-about movies of the year, MIDSOMMAR, in the form of its new director’s cut this weekend. Ari Aster’s movie about a festival in Sweden that goes terribly wrong for a few outsiders is filled with daytime dread and meditations on grief and relationships, and now you can experience even more of it for a limited time.

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Reports of the director’s cut first started showing up around the time of the movie’s initial release at the start of July, but not many knew if it would be featured on the Blu-ray release of the movie (current special features do not have it listed), or if it would be getting a limited engagement. The latter scenario is here as A24 released the trailer marketing the unveiling of the cut in select theaters for this weekend, teasing bonus footage and extended scenes. The movie was hefty in its original cut at 147 minutes, but this new cut is about 24 minutes longer at a whopping 171 minutes.

Check out the trailer for the cut below, but be wary of potential spoilers.

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The second feature from Aster centers on Dani (Florence Pugh) who after losing her mother, father, and sister in a tragic event ends up accompanying her increasingly distant boyfriend (Jack Reynor) to visit the Swedish community of Harga for a summer festival with his friends. However, what at first seemed like an opportunity to experience a new culture and scenery turns into a sun-drenched nightmare as shocking rituals and an eerie atmosphere begin to turn their summer fun into a horror show – concluding with a horrific finale that will shake viewers to their core. It’s amazing, and one of the best films of the year.

Given very few people have seen the cut there’s not a lot of specifics on what’s added, but the folks at IndieWire were able to see the cut not long ago and confirmed that there’s more added to the beginning, the gut-wrenching finale, and more rituals added in between that further flesh out the experience of the festival and give more weight to the events. With 24 extra minutes that’s a lot more to see across what is already a long and jarring experience, and while I can imagine not all that's added will be as valuable as other scenes, it sounds like anyone who saw it before may just find themselves being swept up in the bright terror in new, unsettling ways.

If you are looking to look for showtimes and tickets for the special screening be sure to check out times here.