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EXCLUSIVE: RT Features and A24 have firmed their reteam with director Robert Eggers on The Lighthouse, the filmmaker’s follow-up to his sleeper hit The Witch. The new project, a fantasy horror story set in the world of old sea-faring myths, will go into production in the spring. Robert Pattinson, coming off Good Time, joins the project in a lead role alongside Willem Dafoe.

The script was written by Robert Eggers and Max Eggers. RT Features’ Rodrigo Teixeira and Lourenço Sant’ Anna developed the project with Robert Eggers and are producing alongside Parts & Labor’s Jay Van Hoy, and Youree Henley. A24 acquired worldwide rights and will distribute the film in the U.S. New Regency (The Revenant) has joined the project as a co-financier.

Said Robert Eggers: “I am extremely happy to be working with RT, A24, and Parts & Labor again. Along with New Regency, they are providing me and my collaborators with the support and freedom to make this film the way it needs to be made. It’s a privilege.”

RT Features’ Teixeira called Pattinson “one of the most talented actors working today. We are excited to work with him and Eggers, a singular filmmaker whose unique vision we support. Our collaboration on The Witch was flawless, and we look forward to reuniting along with our partners at A24, Parts & Labor and New Regency.”

In a statement, A24 described the distributor as “beyond excited to be partnering again with Rob Eggers, a true visionary and one of the great filmmakers of his generation. This new script blew us away — it creates a totally unique and ambitious universe and manages to somehow feel scary, suspenseful, wondrous and beautiful all at the same time. We can’t wait to work with Rob and his team and our partners at RT Features, Parts & Labor and New Regency to help bring this story to life.”

Said Parts & Labor’s Jay Van Hoy: “I love that we’re getting the band back together again, this time with old friend and new star player Youree Henley. Like The Witch, this is a once-in-a-lifetime opportunity.”

In addition to his critically acclaimed turn in Good Time, Pattinson starred in David & Nathan Zellner-directed Damsel, which debuted at Sundance last month. He recently wrapped the Claire Denis-directed sci-fi thriller High Life. Pattinson is repped by WME, Curtis Brown Group and 3 Arts Entertainment.

RT Features and Parts & Labor produced the A24-distributed The Witch, which drew critical acclaim and won the Film Independent Spirit Awards for Best First Feature and Best First Screenplay. The $4 million-budgeted film grossed 10 times its budget, turning a global gross slightly in excess of $40 million. Robert Eggers also is currently developing a limited series based on the life of Rasputin with MRC and Parts & Labor. The filmmaker is represented by WME.

RT Features and New Regency are in post-production on the James Gray-directed sci-fi film Ad Astra. Brad Pitt stars and Fox is releasing December 2

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Not much is known about “The Lighthouse,” the upcoming film from “The Witch” director Robert Eggers, but the involvement of Eggers and actors Robert Pattinson and Willem Dafoe put it high on the list of the most anticipated indies of 2019. The film is backed by A24, shot on 35mm black-and-white film stock, and described as a “fantasy horror story set in the world of old sea-faring myths.” That’s about all we know for now, although the actors did let it slip the film was rather torturous to make.

Dafoe recently spoke with Pattinson for Interview magazine, and the two co-starts briefly reminisced about making “The Lighthouse.” Dafoe mentioned “the conditions were so harsh” on the movie’s set that the two actors “hardly talked outside of scenes.” Pattinson added the role was so demanding that he “hardly talked to anyone,” period. One scene forced Pattinson to get sprayed with water over and over to the point where it began to sting.

“That’s the closest I’ve come to punching a director,” Pattinson said. “However much I love Robert [Eggers], there was a point where I did five takes walking across the beach, and after a while I was like, ‘What the fuck is going on? I feel like you’re just spraying a fire hose in my face.’ And he was like, ‘I am spraying a fire hose in your face.'”

“It was like some kind of torture,” Pattinson added. “It definitely creates an interesting energy. [Laughs].”

Pattinson said it was clear on set that Dafoe understood Eggers’ script more than he did, so he decided he would try to approach the film on more of a physical level than a cerebral one.

“You clearly weren’t into rehearsal,” Dafoe told Pattinson. “Maybe it was the nature of the role, but I always felt like you wanted to leap in and not work stuff out, as though it was more real to confront it without any pre-knowledge. I was reminded of the old Dustin Hoffman and Laurence Olivier quote, ‘Go.'”

Pattinson returned the compliment, saying, “I must say that I’ve never seen someone with such a supernatural level of energy as you. I remember watching you and being, like, ‘How are you doing this?'”

“I’ll take that as flattery, but I’ll also return it by saying that your approach was fierce,” Dafoe responded. “You were a warrior.”

“The Lighthouse” is one of two A24 releases Pattinson has set for 2019, the other being Claire Denis’ acclaimed science-fiction movie “High Life.” Dafoe can next be seen on the big screen as Vincent van Gogh in “At Eternity’s Gate,” opening November 16 from CBS Films.

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There is enchantment in the light. From Robert Eggers, acclaimed director of 'The Witch,' and starring Willem Dafoe and Robert Pattinson.
THE LIGHTHOUSE — In Theaters October 18

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