Jacob Elordi slashing his way through a thriller? Yes, please. The “Priscilla” and “Saltburn” star co-leads Tribeca Film Festival entry “He Went That Way” alongside Zachary Quinto.
The duo brings the harrowing true story of a 1964 serial killer to life, with Quinto portraying a celebrity animal trainer who picks up a hitchhiker (Elordi), only to discover his passenger is a young, cunning serial killer. Patrick J. Adams also stars, as well as a live monkey.
Directed by Jeffrey Darling, “He Went That Way” follows a teen serial killer across the Midwest. The IndieWire review called Elordi’s character a “sociopathic teenager lurking the backroads of America in search of free rides, only to brutally kill anyone who shows him a hint of generosity.”
Yet, the film takes a turn, with the review adding, “As the two men get to know each other, the film shifts its focus so sharply towards their relationship that it’s almost startling when you remember that there’s a monkey involved. But if nothing else, ‘He Went That Way’ deserves credit for being the most serious effort at reviving the monkey hijinks genre that the festival circuit has seen in years.”
Elordi rounds out his star-making 2023 with the early 2024 release. The “Euphoria” actor, who recently admitted that he “fudged” his lines in the initial audition, admitted to turning down playing Superman.
“They asked me to read for Superman,” Elordi told GQ. “That was immediately, ‘No, thank you.’ That’s too much. That’s too dark for me.”
For Elorid, playing a serial killer seems to prove to be lighter fare than joining the superhero franchise: “I’ve always been told to say a rounded answer or my agent will get mad at me. ‘Anything can happen!’” Elordi said. “And obviously anything can happen, but at this stage in my life, I don’t see myself having any interest in that. I like to make what I would watch, and I get very restless watching those movies. And then I’m supposed to finish it with: ‘Never say never!’”
“He Went That Way” premieres January 5 in theaters from Vertical Entertainment. Check out the trailer below.
