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Olivia Colman is set to anchor a peculiar new romance called Wicker, and the cast that has gathered around her promises a film that will be equal parts unsettling, whimsical and fiercely original. Alexander Skarsgård, Peter Dinklage and Elizabeth Debicki have signed on to the project, which filmmakers Alex Huston Fischer and Eleanor Wilson adapted from Ursula Wills-Jones' short story "The Wicker Husband." The production has wrapped, and industry eyes are already turning to festival strategy and what this oddball love story might mean for the careers involved.
A strange love story — and a bold casting switch
Wicker is being described as a "twisted, unconventional romance." Colman plays a seaside fisherwoman — bluntly described in early notices as "smelly, single and perpetually ridiculed" — who, tired of small‑minded neighbors and social exile, commissions the village basketmaker to fashion her a husband entirely out of wicker. The handmade companion quickly becomes the epicenter of gossip, jealousy and chaos.
Alexander Skarsgård steps into a role that was originally announced with Dev Patel attached when Wicker was first revealed in 2023. Casting changes like this are common in mid‑budget indie productions, but Skarsgård's presence signals an appetite for actors who can navigate vulnerability and menace in equal measure: his recent slate includes the A24 BDSM rom‑com Pillion (which bowed at Cannes) and a lead turn in Murderbot on Apple TV+. His involvement pushes Wicker further into the arthouse conversation.
Peter Dinklage and Elizabeth Debicki bring their own distinct energies. Dinklage's wry presence can sharpen satire or deepen pathos, while Debicki's statuesque screen persona often provides an elegant counterpoint to darker material. Together with Colman — who has repeatedly shown a rare ability to anchor both drama and broad comedy — the ensemble suggests a film that will balance grotesque humor with a quietly human center.
Filmmaking pedigree and tone
Directors Alex Huston Fischer and Eleanor Wilson co‑wrote and co‑direct the feature, building on the buzz of their 2020 Sundance debut, the sci‑fi comedy Save Yourselves! The movie's tone — audacious, slightly off‑kilter, and character‑driven — may be a reliable signpost for Wicker's sensibility. Cinematographer Lol Crawley, known for lush, tactile imagery, shot the film, which promises moody coastal visuals and close, tactile details that will make a wicker husband feel eerily real on screen.
Comparisons are inevitable. Wicker's concept — an artificial partner crafted from natural materials who upends a community — summons resonances with Frankensteinian myths about creation and consequence, while its odd, creature‑centered romance echoes the otherworldly intimacy of films like The Shape of Water. At the same time, the village dynamics and folkloric making of an idol put it in conversation with British folk horror classics such as The Wicker Man, though early descriptions emphasize romance and social satire more than outright horror.
Industry context: producers, financing and festival prospects
Topic Studios and Tango are financing and producing Wicker alongside a slate of partners, and Black Bear is handling international sales. UTA Independent Film Group is co‑repping U.S. sales with CAA Media Finance — a setup that signals confidence in the film’s festival potential and subsequent global distribution. Both Topic and Tango have been busy recently: Topic has had titles at Cannes and Sundance, while Tango premiered several films at Sundance and Cannes in the past year. Their combined calendars suggest Wicker will be positioned for the festivals that reward daring, character‑led cinema.
The casting shuffle from Dev Patel to Skarsgård also reflects a broader trend in indie financing: attaching established names who can open doors at festivals and with buyers. That strategy often bolsters pre‑sales and investor appetite — a savvy move for mid‑budget projects that rely on festival visibility.
What to expect on screen — and behind the scenes
Expect the tactile: wicker as a material offers filmmakers a visual shorthand for craft, fragility and the uncanny. Will the "husband" be a puppet, a suit, or a hybrid practical/CGI creation? Early reports hint at hands‑on artistry, and with Crawley behind the camera, viewers can likely anticipate striking close‑ups of woven fibers, salty skin and the gray skies of a coastal village.
There’s also room for biting social commentary. The fisherwoman's ostracism and the community's reaction to her unconventional choice could be read as a fable about desire, conformity and the policing of femininity. Colman’s talent for mixing pathos with comedic vulnerability suggests the film will embrace emotional complexity rather than camp alone.
Film critic Anna Kovacs offers a succinct take: "Wicker seems poised to be one of those small films that lingers — part parable, part dark comedy. With Colman in the center and Skarsgård, Dinklage and Debicki flanking her, the movie looks ready to turn a simple fairy‑tale premise into something strangely contemporary."
Why cinephiles should care
Wicker arrives at a moment when audiences and festivals are particularly receptive to boundary‑pushing romances and genre hybrids. From A24's trend of provocative, conversation‑stirring titles to the continued popularity of folk horror and fairytale reworkings, Wicker fits neatly within current cinephile appetites while promising its own, distinct voice.
Beyond festival hopes, the film is an attractive vehicle for its actors: Colman gets another opportunity to lead a singular story; Skarsgård adds nuance to a year full of daring roles; Dinklage and Debicki deepen their portfolios with a film likely to show off range and comic timing. For producers and sales agents, Wicker's mix of star power, an arresting premise and established festival‑circuit producers gives it real market appeal.
If Wicker delivers on promise, it could be one of those small, weird movies that grows in reputation through festival buzz, critical conversation and audience discovery — a film that sparks thinkpieces, fan art and spirited debate about love, artifice and community. Cinema historian Marko Jensen adds: "This is the kind of film that festivals love — odd, humane and built on a vivid visual idea. It could quietly become a cult favorite if it finds the right audience."
For now, audiences and industry watchers will be waiting for festival announcements and the first looks that will reveal whether Wicker leans more into fairy tale, satire or unsettling romance. With casting that combines commercial recognition and arthouse credibility, and with a creative team that knows how to balance tone, Wicker is shaping up to be one of the more intriguing indie releases on the horizon.
Source: variety
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