The forthcoming black comedy horror thriller The Menu from Searchlight Pictures has been met with salivating anticipation, and the company has now released two promotional videos showcasing some fresh material from the film. Anya Taylor-Joy and Nicholas Hoult, who plays the young couple Margot and Tyler, head up the film’s impressive cast. The latter is a well-known food blogger who persuades Margot to accompany him on a trip to a restaurant on a deserted island run by the enigmatic Slowik. The two go to Hawthorne Restaurant with a huge party of other visitors with the intention of enjoying a spectacular lunch.
Searchlight warns that Slowik has “some stunning shocks” in store for his unwary customers, but as the film develops, it becomes evident that the chef has some more sinister reasons behind his eatery. First, we see Margot and Tyler getting ready to have supper at Hawthorne. Margot doesn’t appear as thrilled as Tyler is by the chef who “[plays] with the raw substance of life itself and death itself.” However, he persists in his attempts to win her over, telling Margot, “It’s art on the verge of the abyss, which is where God works.” It looks like he is so shaken up by what he has witnessed that he begins to cry. More film depicts the dinner’s chaotic start, complete with flames, screams, and what look to be people fleeing for their lives. In another clip, Margot is heard asking, “What the heck is going on?”
In the second sneak peek provided by Searchlight, we meet Felicity (Aimee Carrero), who looks to be a Hollywood publicist, and her date, an unidentified movie star. Since he orders Felicity to “make sure people don’t disturb me,” it appears that Leguizamo’s character is a bit of a control freak. The actor’s nerves were clearly rattled after seeing Slowik, as evidenced by the chef’s remark that “the recollection of your face in that film… haunts me.” Some further material from the original tape is also played, featuring additional instances of scared screaming and apprehensive guests. Leguizamo’s character is heard saying to Slowik, “Look, I didn’t direct it, I just acted in it!” in response to the chef’s apparent distaste for the actor’s movie.
An extensive ensemble cast, including those who portray other diners, joins Taylor-Joy, Hoult, Fiennes, Carrero, and Leguizamo in The Menu. Names like Judith Light, Hong Chau, Janet McTeer, Arturo Castro, Rob Lang, Mark St. Cyr, Paul Adelstein, and Reed Birney are among those included. Overlaid text in both videos shifts from “food influencers and movie stars dine here” to “food influencers and movie stars die here,” implying that many of these individuals are in for a scare. Mark Mylod, best known as an executive producer and director on the critically acclaimed HBO series Succession, helmed the film The Menu.
The film was directed by Mylod, while the screenplay was written by Seth Reiss and Will Tracy (Tracy also contributed to Succession). Hyperobject Industries and Gary Sanchez Productions produced the picture alongside Adam McKay, Betsy Koch, and Will Ferrell, while Searchlight was brought on to distribute the movie. The international premiere of The Menu took place at the Toronto International Film Festival in September, and on November 18, the film will be released to theatres for general consumption.