Masha Ko’s The Looming: All that is known about Ari Aster’s return to horror

Without a doubt, Ari Aster is the most iconic figure in contemporary horror cinema. With only two films, “Hereditary” and “Midsommar,” he managed to revive the genre when it seemed like its golden era was over forever.

Since the release of the latter in 2019, his fans have been intensely craving more, but Aster focused on other projects that had little to do with his past endeavors. He made the surrealist movie “Beau is Afraid” with Joaquin Phoenix, which scarcely contained any scary scenes.

Now, it seems like the wait is over, as Deadline reported that he is working on a production poised to be among the greatest hits of 2025. Like many of the best horror flicks, it all started with a short.

Ari Aster to work on Masha Ko’s horror project “The Looming”

Since the horror short “The Looming” premiered at Sundance a few months ago, every agency has been hoping to work with its director, Masha Ko, to turn her creation into a feature film. Ultimately, she signed with A24, specifically with the production teams of Ari Aster and “Talk to Me,” to develop her project.

The story revolves around Chester, a 70-year-old man who lives alone. One day, he begins to be haunted by an evil presence that only he can see. As his requests for help are ignored by those he asks, Chester decides to investigate the phenomenon himself, only to discover a terrible truth.

The short itself is absolutely terrifying, but it’s intriguing to consider what Aster and the producers behind “Talk to Me” can bring to it. Aster is skilled at making horror shorts, as demonstrated by the success of “The Strange Thing About the Johnsons,” and the RackaRacka brothers’ team know what young audiences want to see on the big screen.

Regarding a release date, it’s highly probable that the film will come out in 2025, likely in the first half. There aren’t many chances of it being released this year due to Aster’s packed agenda, with six upcoming works mostly in pre-production.

When the producer of “Dream Scenario” announced that his next directorial work would be a dark comedy western with Joaquin Phoenix, Pedro Pascal , and Emma Stone as leads, disappointment arose among his horror fans. However, now, they have something to look forward to, as “The Looming” is set to be one of the scariest films of 2025.