After Jenna Ortega starred in one of the biggest 2024 movies, she can’t stop, won’t stop finding work with some major talent. Word is she’ll work next with Oscar winner Natalie Portman in a movie called The Gallerist, and whoa, did the premise make me do a double take.
The Gallerist will apparently follow an owner of an art gallery who attempts to make her next big sale a dead man at the renowned Art Basel Miami art show in a fit of desperation. While no further details about the plot was disclosed in the Deadline report, it would see Natalie Portman and Jenna Ortega leading the same movie. Oh, and it would be the first feature directed by Cathy Yan since Birds Of Prey.
While it’s tough to tell whether The Gallerist would be a black comedy, thriller or straight up horror movie (as Ortega often gravitates to with her work), the pair of these talents together seems worth dying over… a fictional guy who becomes a piece of art, that is. I could see a movie like delving into the problems that come with commodifying things, or satirizing the lengths one could go to for art.
Between the two, I picture Natalie Portman being the gallerist, and goodness knows we’ve seen her play desperate with Black Swan. The movie’s script has been written by Cathy Yan and newcomer James Pedersen. I don’t know about you, but I’ve been so excited about Yan’s next project since her very underrated DC movie, plus she directed a particularly excellent episode of Succession in 2021. Natalie Portman would also be producing the movie with a few notable producers, many of which worked together on the 2021 Matt Damon flick Stillwater.
The Gallerist could join a slew of upcoming Jenna Ortega movies and TV shows from the star after the Beetlejuice sequel became one of the top 10 highest-grossing movies of the year (so far). Ortega had the chance to work with all sorts of major talent for the Tim Burton flick, and Winona Ryder told us she was “the missing puzzle piece” the second movie needed to work.
Ortega has already filmed a movie with Paul Rudd called Death Of A Unicorn, as well as the Taikia Waititi adaptation of Klara And The Sun. She is currently filming the second season of Wednesday for Netflix. Natalie Portman was in one of the best movies of 2023 with May December, and led Apple TV+’s Lady Of The Lake earlier this year. Next, she’ll also be in the Guy Ritchie adventure film, Fountain Of Youth with John Krasinski and have a voice role in The Twits.
Here’s hoping The Gallerist does book these two powerhouse actresses, because I really need to see this wild premise play out.
