With Lars Von Trier’s controversial film Antichrist finally getting a small U.S. theatrical release this past weekend, allowing even more moviegoers to enjoy the finer points of genital mutilation, a lot of people are wondering what the man can possibly do for an encore. With this movie bringing him so much attention, would the Danish director retreat to his art house roots, or would he go for something even more provocative? To be honest, I don’t think anyone can answer that question as of yet, but either way, it seems like his next project is going to be something pretty unexpected.

Earlier this month, Variety unveiled details of Von Trier’s next film, a curious picture loosely titled Melancholia. It is being described as a “psychological drama-cum-disaster movie”… yes, that’s right, a Lars Von Trier disaster movie. I’m not completely familiar with Von Trier’s full filmography, so I’m not sure if he’s attempted anything like this before, but it sounds like a pretty odd choice. The plot is being kept under wraps, but apparently has something to do with a planet called Melancholia, which comes “threateningly close to Earth”. It will not have anything to do with an alien invasion, however.

I can’t help picturing Deep Impact or The Day After Tomorrow, but that certainly does not seem like Von Trier’s style. Producer Peter Aalbaek Jensen says the project “will use some special effects, but nothing compared to Hollywood”, while Von Trier himself said simply, “No more happy endings!” What do you think, does this sound cool? Is Lars Von Trier selling out, or is he simply having fun experimenting with genre filmmaking?