Universal Pictures is set to release its post-World War II drama The Brutalist on February 28, 2025. Brady Corbet returns to direct the film, which he wrote with Mona Fastvold, his wife. It stars Adrien Brody (The Pianist), Felicity Jones (The Theory of Everything), Guy Pearce (Memento), Joe Alwyn (The Favourite), Raffey Cassidy (Vox Lux), Stacy Martin (Vox Lux), Isaac De Bankholé (Black Panther), and Alessandro Nivola (The Many Saints of Newark).
The film follows László Toth (Adrien Brody), an architect who flees post-war Europe and arrives in America to rebuild his life, his work, and his marriage to his wife Erzsébet (Felicity Jones) after being separated by shifting borders and wartime regimes. Settling in Pennsylvania, László’s talent catches the eye of Harrison Lee Van Buren (Guy Pearce), a wealthy and influential industrialist who offers him an opportunity to redefine the architectural landscape. However, power and legacy come at an unforgiving cost.
According to a press note, Brady Corbet said about the film, “It’s a period that has always fascinated me, primarily in the way that post-war psychology had this extraordinary imprint and influence on post-war architecture.” He added, “Something all three of my movies have in common is that they are very much about the cyclical nature of history. The Brutalist is a historical film, and the characters are written to their circumstance. The film has much to say about the immigrant experience in America and how the American Dream fails László and Erzsébet Tóth.”
At the Golden Globe Awards, it won Best Motion Picture—Drama, Best Director, and Best Actor in a Motion Picture—Drama. It is also nominated for 10 Oscars, including Best Picture, Best Director, Best Actor, Best Actress, and Best Original Screenplay. It premiered at the Venice International Film Festival, where Corbet was honoured with the Silver Lion for Best Director.