Ari Aster confirmed that he's written a script for a Hereditary prequel, but whether we'll get to see it is an entirely different story. Just after confirming he's written another entry to one of the best horror movies out there, Aster seemed unsure if he'll ever make it.
The director made the bombshell reveal at American Cinematheque’s annual Bleak Week, during a Q&A about the movie (via GoldDerby). As eager as we may all be to see more bone-chilling scenes, and as much as we may want a release date added to the upcoming movies list, Aster added that he has no idea what happens from here when it comes to that script:
I wrote a prequel to this. It never feels like the right time. It’s a prequel, not a sequel, so I don’t know where this goes.
Aster was non-committal about making a prequel to Hereditary anytime soon, which is a bummer for anyone who wants more from the movie that perfectly walked the tightrope between horror and grief. Personally, I would love a movie that went into the backstory behind that bizarre ritual and helped make sense of the supernatural events of the original movie.
It's easier said than done, as Ari Aster admitted the shadow of Hereditary continues to loom over him. Continuing further, he expressed frustration that while he's had other celebrated movies where he's felt he's progressed as a storyteller and director, Hereditary remains the movie people still want to talk to him about the most:
In some ways, it’s really irritating. I’m trying to get better. Every film I make I actually feel kind of prouder of than the last, and yet it’s like diminishing returns as far as their reception is concerned. I’m thrilled. You want something to last. It’s great. More people come up to me and say they love this film than any of the others.
I can empathize with the frustration of making movies like Midsommar, Beau Is Afraid, and Eddington, and feeling like some fans don't think those movies are as good as the movie he made eight years ago. Then again, there are also people who will never make a horror movie as good as Hereditary, so maybe he just needs a shift in perspective to get inspired to make this prequel.
As for what a prequel would be about, I would imagine we'd learn more about the cult worshipping the demon King Paimon. Who knows if that movie begins with Ellen Taper Leigh, the grandmother who dies at the beginning of the film. Maybe the prequel will go back even further and show the previous male host that King Paimon inhabited? Was there even a previous male host?
These are the things I'd want to know, but I get the pressure behind making a prequel to Hereditary. There would be high expectations going in, and I would reckon the movie itself would be entirely different from the original. How do you create the magic of the family dynamic and other elements that made the movie great, while still telling a story that services the original? It won't be easy, but as someone with Hereditary Christmas ornaments on my wishlist, I'm down for it.
Until then, we still have Hereditary, and I'd recommend readers give it a rewatch soon, but I'm still questioning whether I'm going to revisit it this year when October rolls around. I'll definitely show up in theaters if a prequel happens, however, so here's hoping Ari Aster has some thoughts about how to make that happen.
