Back in 2019, it was announced that Alexander Payne would be directing Emma Stone and Ralph Fiennes in a "darkly comedic psychological thriller" called The Menu. Then, due to scheduling conflicts, Payne and Stone had to drop out of the project, and it sounded like Fiennes had gone along with them. But that's not the case. Now that the film is set to be directed by Mark Mylod, Fiennes is still on board, and Mylod has found the replacement for Emma Stone: Anya Taylor-Joy of The Witch, Split, Queen's Gambit, and The New Mutants.
Written by Will Tracy and Seth Reiss, The Menu is set
in the world of eccentric culinary culture, centering on a young couple who visit an exclusive restaurant on a remote island where an acclaimed chef has prepared a lavish tasting menu.
Fiennes is playing the "globally-celebrated chef" who has developed this "eccentric culinary event" and "has added a few secret, and potentially nefarious, ingredients to his extravagant menu." Taylor-Joy's character is one half of the visiting couple.
Set up at Searchlight, The Menu is being produced by Adam McKay and Betsy Koch. Zahra Phillips is overseeing the project for the studio.
Taylor-Joy is always a good casting choice, and I'm glad to see The Menu continuing to move forward even though Emma Stone had to depart.