It will be a challenge to find a 2025 film that Josh O’Connor is not in. The “Challengers” breakout star is leading the third “Knives Out” feature (all we know is that he’s playing a priest), plus is starring alongside Paul Mescal in “The History Of Sound” and will be in Steven Spielberg’s next project about UFOs. First, though, O’Connor is starring in Kelly Reichardt‘s latest, “The Mastermind.”
The film will debut in competition at Cannes. Oliver Hermanus’ “The History Of Sound” will also be in the main competition so O’Connor has two shots at being in a Palme d’Or winner this year.
For “The Mastermind,” O’Connor plays JB Mooney, an unemployed carpenter who becomes an aspiring amateur art thief. The only issue is that JB’s first big heist goes haywire, leading him to confront his life choices. The film is set in rural Massachusetts in the 1970s. Alana Haim, John Magaro, Hope Davis, Bill Camp, Gaby Hoffmann, Amanda Plummer, Eli Gelb, Cole Doman, Javion Allen, Matthew Maher and Rhenzy Feliz co-star.
Reichardt most recently directed 2022 film “Showing Up” which starred her frequent collaborator Michelle Williams. She has also helmed “First Cow,” “Meek’s Cutoff,” and “Wendy and Lucy,” all of which were co-written by Jon Raymond. “The Mastermind” is also Reichardt’s third film with actor Magaro.
Neil Kopp, Anish Savjani, and Vincent Savino of filmscience produce the feature, reuniting with Reichardt. The company has financed all of Reichardt’s films since “Old Joy.” “The Mastermind” will be distributed by MUBI in North America, U.K., Ireland, LATAM, Germany, Austria, Benelux, Turkey, and India, with The Match Factory handling international sales. This is the second time MUBI has worked with Reichardt, the first being for “First Cow” in 2021.
“The Mastermind” is one of six female-directed features debuting in competition at Cannes. The others include Julia Ducournau (“Alpha”), Mascha Schilinski (the buzzy “Sound of Falling,” previously titled “The Doctor Says I’ll Be Alright, But I’m Feelin’ Blue”), Hafsia Herzi (“La Petite Dernière”), Chie Hayakawa (“Renoir”), and Carla Simón (“Romeria”), among the main competition at the Croisette.
Check out the first look images for “The Mastermind” below.
