Late last month we got the exciting news that Ryan Gosling would not only be making his writing debut, but the Drive star would also be getting behind the camera for the first time for his fantasy noir How to Catch a Monster. The plot synopsis was an intriguing one, but we’ve been antsy for more details and now with both star Christina Hendricks and Gosling at TIFF, we’ve got some hints.
At her Ginger and Rosa premiere, Hendricks told Vulture that she was indeed Gosling’s choice to lead the film that follows “a single mother supporting two children and trying to provide a home for them and a place of comfort.” She adds that her character works in a “very surreal” fetish club that gets her in some trouble. In the meantime, “these boys are off on their own adventures and they discover this underground city.”
An underground city? It lines up with the synopsis, but this is starting to sound more and more like a modern-era Pan’s Labyrinth, something that seems ambitious for a first-time director. Hendricks also they’ve got “a nice amount” for a budget, so perhaps this will be a more visually appealing piece of work than we thought.
In between his many roles, Gosling is hard at work, as he has “has storyboards and pictures of neighborhoods and homes, and he’s already collecting music for it.” As we wait for more news, check out that synopsis below for the film that Hendricks described as having the feeling of a “memory, something from your childhood that you can’t really pinpoint.”
“How To Catch a Monster weaves elements of fantasy noir, and suspense into a modern day fairytale. Set against the surreal dreamscape of a vanishing city, Billy, a single mother of two, is swept into a macabre and dark fantasy underworld while her teenage son discovers a secret road leading to an underwater town. Both Billy and Bones must dive deep into the mystery, if their family is to survive.”
Production begins spring of 2013.
Are you looking forward to Gosling’s debut? What do you think of these details?