The Whale: Cast, Plot, Release Date, and Everything Else We Know
Darren
Aronofsky’s
films
are
certainly
one
of
a
kind.
From
the
very
beginning
of
his
career,
he
has
created
films
that
have
taken
the
medium
to
new
horizons.
His
incredible
technical
skill
only
provides
a
platform
for
the
sheer
intellect
that
is
showcased
in
every
one
of
his
films.
Aronofsky
studied
filmmaking
at
Harvard
University
and
made
his
feature
film
debut
with
the
psychological
horror
film
Pi.
Critics
and
audiences
alike
knew
that
there
was
something
special
in
the
filmmaker,
and
since
then,
the
director
has
been
making
thought-provoking
films
that
entertain
and
sometimes
shock
his
viewers.
When
word
got
out
that
Aronofsky
would
be
adapting
Samuel
D.
Hunter’s
acclaimed
play,
The
Whale,
fans
were
ecstatic.
Much
of
the
anticipation
surely
comes
from
the
casting
of
Brendan
Fraser
in
the
lead
role.
Fraser
has
had
many
ups
and
downs
in
his
career
and
has
made
an
epic
and
well-deserved
comeback.
His
talent
and
charisma
have
been
constantly
overlooked
and
underappreciated.
Although
there
has
yet
to
be
a
trailer
released
for
The
Whale,
there
are
many
exciting
facts
to
discuss.
Here
is
everything
we
know
so
far
about
the
much-anticipated
film.
Updated
October
2022
by
Liz
Young:
If
you
are
excited
to
check
out
The
Whale,
you’ll
be
happy
to
know
we’ve
updated
this
article
with
additional
info,
including
the
release
date.
The
Whale:
The
Plot
Pictures
The
screenplay
will
be
adapted
from
playwright
Samuel
D.
Hunter’s
The
Whale.
When
the
play
debuted
Off-Broadway
in
2012,
it
received
high
praise
from
critics
and
won
the
Drama
Desk
Award
as
well
as
the
Lucille
Lortel
Award
for
outstanding
play.
The
story
follows
a
600-pound
reclusive
English
teacher,
Charlie
(Brendan
Fraser),
who
has
decided
to
eat
himself
to
death.
Charlie’s
pain
and
misery
come
from
the
abandonment
and
death
of
his
gay
lover,
which
leads
to
his
chronic
binge-eating.
At
the
same
time,
Charlie
tries
to
reconnect
with
his
17-year-old
daughter
for
one
last
chance
at
redemption.
The
Whale
will
explore
dramatic
themes
of
self-infliction,
family,
and
grief.
The
film
will
be
produced
by
the
beloved
production
company
A24.
The
collaboration
between
Aronofsky
and
A24
is
certainly
something
to
be
excited
about
and
will
undoubtedly
give
us
a
fantastic
and
thought-provoking
film.
The
Whale:
The
Cast
Bros.
Pictures
Alongside
Brendan
Fraser
in
The
Whale
is
an
exciting
cast
to
bring
the
acclaimed
play
to
life
on
the
big
screen.
Charlie’s
estranged
daughter,
Ellie,
will
be
played
by
Sadie
Sink.
The
young
American
actress
is
most
notably
known
for
her
role
as
Max
Mayfield
in
Stranger
Things.
She
has
also
had
roles
in
Netflix’s
Fear
Street
Part
Two:
1978
and
Fear
Street
Part
Three:
1666,
as
well
as
Destin
Daniel
Cretton’s
dramatic
film,
The
Glass
Castle.
Hong
Chau
will
play
the
role
of
Charlie’s
friend
Liz,
a
cynical
and
atheist
nurse.
Chau
has
acted
in
many
acclaimed
shows,
including
Big
Little
Lies,
Homecoming,
and
Watchmen.
Chau
received
a
Golden
Globe
Nomination
for
her
supporting
role
in
Alexander
Payne’s
Downsizing.
Oscar-nominated
actress
Samantha
Morton
will
play
Charlie’s
ex-wife
Mary.
Morton
is
a
force
to
be
reckoned
with
and
has
acted
in
several
memorable
movies
in
her
career,
including
Minority
Report,
In
America,
and
Sweet
and
Lowdown.
Release
Date
The
Whale
had
its
premiere
at
the
Venice
International
Film
Festival
in
September.
After
screenings
at
festivals,
it
is
headed
to
theaters
on
December
9,
2022,
for
a
wide
release.
Brendan
Fraser’s
Comeback
via
Twitter
Fraser
started
his
career
strong
with
dramatic
roles,
including
School
Ties
and
Gods
And
Monsters.
He
eventually
proved
himself
as
a
leading
man
with
The
Mummy
franchise.
While
fans
wondered
what
caused
the
actor
to
drop
from
the
spotlight,
only
years
later
did
we
find
out
what
happened.
In
2018,
Brendan
Fraser
alleged
in
an
interview
with
GQ
that
he
was
sexually
assaulted
by
the
former
president
of
the
Hollywood
Foreign
Press
Association,
Phillip
Berk,
in
2003.
The
nature
of
the
event
deeply
scarred
the
actor,
hampering
his
ability
to
act.
But
it
also
affected
his
career
directly
due
to
Berk’s
connections
in
Hollywood.
He
was
forced
to
remain
silent
about
his
trauma
for
fifteen
years.
Along
with
Fraser
starring
in
a
high-caliber
film
such
as
The
Whale,
2019
marked
the
beginning
of
a
true
comeback.
The
actor
took
on
a
starring
role
in
HBO’s
Doom
Patrol
as
Cliff
Steele,
AKA
Robotman.
The
show
is
an
adaptation
of
the
DC
Comic
series,
and
Fraser’s
performance
has
been
universally
praised.
In
2008,
Aronofsky
reinvented
Mickey
Rourke’s
career
with
The
Wrestler,
and
Rourke
earned
an
Academy
Award
nomination
for
best
actor.
In
that
same
regard,
The
Whale
may
be
the
role
to
finalize
Fraser’s
comeback
and
make
him
the
next
big
thing
once
again.
Roles
with
physical
transformations
such
as
these
seem
to
always
gain
the
attention
of
award
committees.
This
may
be
Fraser’s
chance
to
potentially
win
an
Oscar.
Reviews
from
festivals
praise
the
performances
of
Fraser,
Sink,
and
Chau.
The
lead
actor
has
received
standing
ovations
at
every
festival
the
film
has
been
screened
at.
Fraser
is
grateful
for
the
response,
speaking
with
Variety
about
the
six-minute
standing
ovation
he
received
at
Venice
International
Film
Festival.
“It
felt
so
affirming.
I
was
emotional
because
it
was
acknowledgment
that
what
we
did
is
making
an
impact.
And
that
kind
of
response
feels
completely
new
in
my
professional
life.”
This
response
has
been
wonderful,
especially
considering
fans
received
the
disappointing
news
that
the
Batgirl
movie,
in
which
Fraser
was
playing
the
villain
Firefly,
was
not
going
to
make
it
to
screens
in
August
2022.
After
rumors
that
the
film
had
been
canceled,
Warner
Bros.
confirmed
the
news
in
a
statement.
The
cancelation
meant
Fraser
fans
would
miss
out
on
one
of
his
new
projects.
Audiences
were
eagerly
anticipating
his
portrayal
of
the
villain
and
to
see
another
film
in
what
has
been
dubbed
the
Brenaissance.
While
it
is
unlikely
fans
will
ever
see
Batgirl,
they
can
look
forward
to
The
Whale,
Martin
Scorsese’s
Killer
of
the
Flower
Moon
(which
features
a
star-studded
cast),
and
Brothers.
While
audiences
are
still
waiting
for
a
trailer,
with
a
release
date
less
than
two
months
away,
it’s
likely
a
trailer
will
appear
any
day
now.
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