Léa Seydoux Joins Mikey Madison in A24’s Darkly Comedic Take on "The Masque of the Red Death"

The ensemble for A24’s upcoming reimagining of Edgar Allan Poe’s classic gothic tale, The Masque of the Red Death, is shaping up to be a powerhouse of international talent. French star Léa Seydoux (Dune: Part Two, No Time to Die) has officially joined the cast, starring alongside recently minted Oscar winner Mikey Madison (Anora).

A Revisionist Twist on a Gothic Classic Directed by Charlie Polinger, the film is being described as a "wildly revisionist and darkly comedic" adaptation of Poe’s 1842 short story. While the original material is a somber meditation on the inevitability of death, Polinger’s version appears to lean into a more maximalist and satirical tone.

The plot reportedly follows a decadent world of excesses, power struggles, and violence set within a fortified castle where the wealthy elite have taken refuge from a ravaging plague. According to industry reports, Mikey Madison will take on a dual role, playing twin sisters—one of whom was raised in poverty and manages to infiltrate the high-society masquerade held by the deranged Prince Prospero.

Léa Seydoux is set to play a "scheming lady-in-waiting" who is determined to climb the social ladder at any cost, adding a layer of intrigue to the claustrophobic and hedonistic setting.

Production Details.

The project is a collaboration between A24 and Picturestart. Production is scheduled to begin this February in Hungary. This new version follows in the footsteps of the legendary 1964 adaptation by Roger Corman, which starred Vincent Price.

However, with Polinger at the helm and a cast featuring two of the most acclaimed actresses of the moment, this "opium-soaked" and "revenge-fueled" take promises to be a unique entry in the Poe cinematic universe. Why It Matters The pairing of Madison and Seydoux has already generated significant buzz. Madison is currently at the peak of her career following her Academy Award win for Anora, while Seydoux remains one of the most versatile actresses in global cinema, effortlessly pivoting between Hollywood blockbusters and auteur-driven European films.

For A24, The Masque of the Red Death represents another bold step into "elevated" genre filmmaking, blending horror, satire, and period drama in a way that has become the studio’s signature.