Lars von Trier Reveals ‘The House That Jack Built’ Could Be His Final Movie: ‘I Feel Like Sh*t’
Zack Sharf
It’s been quite a couple days for Lars von Trier. The infamous filmmaker began production on “The House That Jack Built” earlier this week in Bengtfors, Sweden, where he addressed members of the press to tease the brutal nature of the movie and confirm plans to return to the Cannes Film Festival. But none of that can compare to the bombshell von Trier dropped in regards to the future of his filmmaking career. According to a Deadline report from a press conference on set, the director’s new movie could actually be his last.
“I feel like sh*t,” von Trier told reporters. “I have so much anxiety. I think I’m getting too old for this. Just to work on the set and rush around with some actors, even though they are very sweet, it is a challenge of dimensions. I don’t think I can make any more films after this one.”
“The House That Jack Built” spans 12 years and follows the development of a serial killer through his five most important murders. Matt Dillon is leading the cast in the titular role, while Uma Thurman, Siobhan Fallon Hogan, Sofie Gråbøl and Riley Keough are set to play his victims. It will be von Trier’s first movie since the polarizing “Nymphomaniac” movies, which premiered all the way back in 2013.
During the same press conference, von Trier made no attempt to hide the fact that his new movie is going to be especially graphic, even by his standards. “There were so many people we sent the script to, who said they would do anything to work with me, except this script,” he said.
Whether von Trier is being serious about retirement or not remains to be seen. We’ve seen quite a few of our favorite directors in the past couple years say goodbye to filmmaking, only to return to the director’s chair several months later (here’s looking at you, Steven Soderbergh and Hayao Miyazaki).
Production on “The House That Jack Built” continues through May. Producer Louise Vesth told reporters an extensive post-production period will be required and that the film is looking to be considered for entry to the Cannes Film Festival in 2018. If accepted, it would mark von Trier’s return to the Croisette after being banned in 2011 for a Hitler joke made at the “Melancholia” press conference.
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