Ari Aster arrives at Academy.

3 October 2025

Academy has only gone and signed Ari Aster—director of 'Hereditary', 'Midsommar', 'Beau is Afraid', and 'Eddington'—as he prepares to enter the TVC realm at long last.

Academy has only gone and signed Ari Aster—director of 'Hereditary', 'Midsommar', 'Beau is Afraid', and 'Eddington'—as he prepares to enter the TVC realm at long last. Best known for work that shreds nerves and takes no prisoners (and arms Joaquin Phoenix with a light machine gun), Aster's ready to flex his commercial muscles on the global stage.

So what drew Aster to the company in the first place? "I've long been an admirer of Academy's roster of filmmakers and the exceptional quality of its output. In meeting Medb Riordan, Simon Cooper, and the rest of the team, I felt immediately that I was in great hands. I am honoured and excited to join the team, and look forward to making work together."

Fellow Academic Jonathan Glazer is also keen to see what happens next: "Adding Ari's singular perspective and style to the range that Academy has to offer is an exciting moment for us. I look forward to seeing how creative teams might engage with him and the new work that'll come from that."

Los Angeles-based MD John Nguyen, meanwhile, has this to say: "Ari is a filmmaker working at the height of the craft—we're honoured to have him join Academy. He is a true visionary whose unique voice fuses tension, horror, and comedy in a form that is pure cinema and completely his own."

To learn more about Ari Aster, ring George Floyd on 020 7395 4155 or email george@academyfilms.com.