Franz Rogowski and Benedict Wong Join A24’s The Masque of the Red Death

Franz Rogowski and Benedict Wong are boarding A24’s The Masque of the Red Death, joining previously announced stars Mikey Madison and Léa Seydoux in Charlie Polinger’s revisionist take on the Edgar Allan Poe classic.

Rogowski (Passages) and Wong (Weapons) have closed deals for the feature, which Polinger will direct from his own screenplay. The project is described as a wildly reimagined and darkly comedic interpretation of Poe’s 1842 short story. Specific character details are being kept under wraps.

In Poe’s original tale, Prince Prospero retreats with a circle of aristocrats to a fortified abbey as a devastating plague sweeps the land. Sealed off from the suffering outside, the nobles attempt to outlast the contagion by hosting a lavish masquerade ball. As the festivities unfold, a mysterious and ominous figure infiltrates the celebration, forcing the revelers to confront the inescapable reality they believed they had successfully walled off.

Polinger, a DGA Award winner, is expected to bring a contemporary lens to the material, blending horror and satire in a manner that aligns with A24’s penchant for auteur-driven genre fare.

Julia Hammer and Erik Feig are producing for Picturestart, alongside James Presson and Lucy McKendrick. Polinger will executive produce. A24 is set to distribute the film worldwide.