Joseph Gordon-Levitt to star in horror movie from Black Swan scribe

Joseph Gordon-Levitt plays a man potentially becoming hoodwinked by unconventional spiritual practices at a "new-age retreat" in the upcoming horror movie Pendulum, to be written and directed by Black Swan writer Mark Heyman, reports Variety.

Pendulum revolves around a couple, Patrick (Gordon-Levitt) and Abigail, who attend a spiritual retreat in New Mexico after a traumatic event. Abigail finds herself drawn to the group's mysterious leader.

More details on the synopsis: "Patrick is willing to do anything to help his wife, but becomes distrustful of the retreat’s enigmatic leader even as Abigail falls under her spell. As paranoia builds, the couple must determine if the group’s unconventional spiritual practices offer genuine healing – or mask a terrifying truth that threatens to consume them both."

Gordon-Levitt has starred in many comedies and thrillers throughout the year, but Pendulum appears to be his first full-on horror movie. As for Heyman, he's best known for his long-time collaboration with director Darren Aronofsky, who will produce Pendulum. They have worked together multiple times, notably with Black Swan, the acclaimed film for which Natalie Portman won her Academy Award for Best Actress.

Heyman also produced Aronofsky's films Mother! and The Wrestler, and he wrote the script for the 2023 film The Boogeyman starring Chris Messina and Sophie Thatcher. Pendulum will mark his feature directorial debut. Apart from film, Heyman created the historical drama series Strange Angel, which ran for two seasons on CBS All Access (now Paramount+).

As for Aronofsky, his most recent film was the Brendan Fraser-led film The Whale, which accrued several Academy Award nominations. He's currently in development on directing his next movie, Caught Stealing, starring Austin Butler, Zoë Kravitz, and Regina King.

Variety says the movie will begin filming in 2025 on location in New Mexico. No other casting details have been announced yet. Black Bear will handle the film's international rights. The company will launch to buyers during the upcoming American Film Market.

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