Skarsgård, Schafer, Hawke, and Melling Join Maddin Trio’s New Film

CAA Media Finance and WME Independent are co-representing North American rights for "The Confessions," a new feature from Guy Maddin, Galen Johnson, and Evan Johnson, while Charades handles international sales. The project is currently being launched at the American Film Market. The cast includes Alexander Skarsgård, Hunter Schafer, Maya Hawke, and Harry Melling.

Ari Aster and Lars Knudsen’s Square Peg are producing the film in the United States. Scythia Films and Thin Stuff are producing the project in Canada with support from Telefilm Canada. Thin Stuff is a production company run by Galen Johnson, Evan Johnson, and Fritzi Adelman.

The trio previously collaborated on "Rumours," an absurdist political comedy that premiered out of competition at Cannes in 2024. That film starred Cate Blanchett, Alicia Vikander, and Charles Dance. Square Peg joined the new project in early development after working with the filmmakers on the earlier title. Daniel Bekerman’s Scythia Films has also attached to the production.

The script describes the film as a cautionary psycho-dramedy. It follows a group of condemned nuns who witness the love triangle of a missing sea captain and his poet wife. The story spans the globe.

"I have long been a devoted fan of the great Canadian wizard, Guy Maddin, and his equally brilliant partners, Evan and Galen Johnson," Aster said. "They stand humongously tall among my favorite filmmakers in the world, and The Confessions is as singular and beguiling as anything they’ve ever written."

The filmmakers issued a statement referencing the Bible. "Behold, I will do a new thing! Now it shall spring forth!" they wrote. They described the film as part religio-maritime rough-music psychomachy and part hallucinated saltwater shaming parade. The group noted that the four lead actors are on their side and in their belly, placing them several steps ahead of the Bible.

Elevation Pictures will distribute the film in Canada. The production brings together Square Peg, known for "Midsommar" and "The Drama," and Scythia Films, which produced "The Witch" and "The Apprentice."