Skincare: Elizabeth Banks to lead a vanity thriller alongside Lewis Pullman, Nathan Fillion, and more

Last Updated on February 23, 2024

Moisturize me! Shout out to all the Doctor Who fans who understood that reference. Elizabeth Banks has gone from doing cocaine with bears to slathering on rejuvenation cream for the Austin Peters-directed “vanity thriller” Skincare. The project is from Iervolino & Lady Bacardi Entertainment, with Jonathan Schwartz and Logan Lerman producing. Skincare already completed its production in the middle of last year, but we’re still waiting to hear a release date for this one.

The film stars Banks, Lewis Pullman (Top Gun: Maverick), Michaela Jaé Rodriguez (Transformers: Rise of the Beasts), Luis Gerardo Méndez (Charlie’s Angels), and Nathan Fillion (The Suicide Squad, Slither), with the plot taking place in Hollywood, California. Further details remain a mystery, though it likely won’t be long before we learn more.

“We are delighted to announce another international production involving such world-class actresses and actors,” said ILBE CEO Iervolino. “‘Skincare’ is a film with a strong visual impact that, because of the cast and the workers it involves, has enormous potential. It is a film that we at ILBE believe in very much.”

Schwartz and Lerman added their voices to the chorus of excitement by saying, “We are super excited to see Elizabeth Banks take on this type of role, and ecstatic to be working with Austin Peters. We are grateful to Andrea Iervolino and ILBE for their support.”

While details remain a mystery, I wonder if the plot resembles something similar to the Image Comics series The Beauty. In The Beauty, modern society is obsessed with outward beauty. Sound familiar? What if there was a way to guarantee you could become more and more beautiful every day? What if it was a sexually transmitted disease? In the world of The Beauty, physical perfection is attainable. Most of the population has taken advantage of it, but Detectives Foster and Vaughn will soon discover it comes at a terrible price. While this is not the plot of Skincare, it’s a terrifying tale for people who enjoy body horror and taking aim at society’s disturbing trends.

You can catch Elizabeth Banks in The Beanie Bubble, coming to theaters on July 27, 2023, before streaming on Apple TV+ on July 28. In the film, Ty Warner (Zach Galifianakis) is a frustrated toy salesman who collaborates with three women (Sarah Snook, Elizabeth Banks, and Geraldine Viswanathan) to grow his idea into the most significant craze in history.

Banks’ previous credits include Wet Hot American Summer, Zack and Miri Make a Porno, Surrender Dorothy, Pitch Perfect, and the Hunger Games franchise. She also appeared on 30 Rock and Modern Family, and was nominated for Emmy awards for her performances on those shows. On the personal side of things, she met her future husband, Max Handelman, on her first day of college back in 1992. They’re still together today.