Everyone Is Dreaming About Nicolas Cage in A24’s Surreal Comedy ‘Dream Scenario’

Nicolas Cage has teamed up with A24 for the upcoming film Dream Scenario, produced by Ari Aster. In line with the indie studio’s signature style, Dream Scenario looks like an outlandish, quirky, and wildly creative film. The studio behind critically acclaimed films such as Lady Bird, Moonlight, and the more recent Beau Is Afraid notably swept the 2022 Oscars with Everything Everywhere All at Once, raising further interest in its remaining 2023 releases and their Oscar potential.

Additionally, A24 has been cooperating with the demands of the SAG-AFTRA strike, allowing it to nab an interim agreement from the labor union for Dream Scenario, which permitted production to continue and allowed Cage and his co-stars to promote the film. With an interim agreement in hand and an official trailer to its name, Dream Scenario should have a smooth journey to the big screen.

Here’s everything we know so far about A24 and Cage’s collaboration.

Dream Scenario release date

Dream Scenario premiered at the 2023 Toronto International Film Festival on September 9, receiving largely positive early reactions. It will be making its way to theaters for its wide release on November 10, 2023.

Dream Scenario trailer

A24 dropped the first official trailer for Dream Scenario on September 19.

The trailer features a nearly unrecognizable Cage as a timid college professor and family man. It’s quite a stark departure from his most recent roles in Renfield, The Unbearable Weight of Massive Talent, and The Retirement Plan. In Dream Scenario, Cage is switching gears from playing action stars, movie stars, and narcissistic vampires to playing a pretty adorable, balding, modest professor with a passion for biology. The trailer also gives viewers a peek at the film’s tone, with Cage utilizing his comedic chops. There are certainly quite a bit of quirky and comical moments, but also an overarching eerie feeling that something isn’t quite right. With bits of Cage and A24’s usual recipe of surrealism and comedy, the trailer does an excellent job of framing Dream Scenario‘s potential and giving viewers just enough to want more.

Dream Scenario cast

As mentioned above, Cage will lead Dream Scenario as Paul Matthews, a meek evolutionary biology professor whose life changes when he realizes he has begun appearing frequently in other people’s dreams. Starring opposite Cage is award-winning actress Julianne Nicholson, best known for roles in Mare of Easttown, Law & Order: Criminal Intent, and Boardwalk Empire, as Paul’s wife, Janet Matthews. In the trailer, Janet displays the same endearing and mild temperament as Paul but frets about what the newfound fame means for them. Kill Order star Jessica Clement and The Northman star Lily Bird will round out the Matthews family as Paul and Janet’s daughters, Hannah and Sophie.

Arrested Development star Michael Cera also appears in the film as Trent, the head of the marketing firm who seems to be helping Paul approach his stardom. Comedian and Don’t Worry Darling star Kate Berlant is another member of Paul’s marketing team—Trent’s business partner, Mary. Former SNL star Tim Meadows also stars in Dream Scenario as a character named Brett.

Also slated to appear in Dream Scenario are Dylan Gelula as Molly, Dylan Baker as Richard, Star Slade as Greta, Noah Lamana as Jessi, Noah Centineo as Dylan, and Nicholas Braun as Haley.

Dream Scenario plot

A24’s official synopsis for Dream Scenario reads:

Hapless family man Paul Matthews (Nicolas Cage) finds his life turned upside down when millions of strangers suddenly start seeing him in their dreams. But when his nighttime appearances take a nightmarish turn, Paul is forced to navigate his newfound stardom, in this wickedly entertaining comedy from writer-director Kristoffer Borgli (Sick of Myself) and producer Ari Aster.

Dream Scenario‘s plot is relatively simple and surreal: millions of people suddenly start dreaming about Paul. It’s unclear what led to this phenomenon, but it doesn’t take Paul long to go viral for appearing in everyone’s dreams. He doesn’t seem to know quite how to approach or deal with the fame, but he’s thrust into it, and who wouldn’t enjoy having their kids finally think they’re cool and having marketing companies desperate to work with you? However, all is not well, as Paul’s role in these dreams starts to shift. In the trailer, he initially appears randomly in dreams without doing much, but suddenly starts appearing in nightmares and hurting people in their dreams. Everyone dreaming about the same person is already a pretty creepy premise, but turning the dreams into nightmares adds another layer of horror to the plot.

Ultimately, it will be quite interesting to see how Dream Scenario handles this unique premise and what the film has to say about fame, social media, the subconscious mind, and parasocial relationships.

(featured image: A24)