With his latest movie, Eddington, Ari Aster gives fans a new experience. He is known for his unique style of filmmaking. This black humor neo-western conspiracy thriller takes viewers back to May 2020, when the Covid-19 pandemic was just beginning. It looks at issues including societal divide, fear, and the effects of living online. The movie has a great ensemble, including Joaquin Phoenix and Pedro Pascal, and people are already talking about it a lot because of its relevant topic and Aster's daring style.

When will Eddington be out and be available to stream?

Eddington was out in theaters for the first time on Friday, July 18. Details about how to stream the movie from home are still coming out for people who want to view it there. It is common for streaming details to come out a few months after a movie comes out in theaters.

Eddington is probably going to stream on HBO Max because it is an A24 movie. In the past, A24 movies have often gone to this platform after they were seen in theaters. For instance, A24's Heretic came out in November 2024 and was available on HBO Max in March 2025. If Eddington follows the same pattern, it might come to the streaming service in October or November of this year. Apple TV+ also has an Eddington page with a "Coming Soon" status, which suggests that it could be available on another platform. Cosmopolitan said, "Eddington makes you relive the trauma of 2020, showing the best and worst of people." This shows how serious the movie is.

Is Eddington on Apple TV+ or HBO Max?

Eddington is likely to stream on HBO Max, but this hasn't been confirmed yet. This is based on A24's history of distributing films. Apple TV+ also says that the movie is "Coming Soon." After the movie comes out in theaters, fans should expect an official announcement a few months later.

Meet the Cast: Joaquin Phoenix, Pedro Pascal, and More

A superb ensemble cast brings Aster's vision to life in Eddington. Joaquin Phoenix and Pedro Pascal are the main protagonists in the movie, who are at odds with one other in a small hamlet in New Mexico. Emma Stone and Deirdre O'Connell also have important parts.

Sheriff Joaquin Phoenix Joe Cross

Joaquin Phoenix plays Sheriff Joe Cross, a person who is popular and campaigns for mayor. Phoenix didn't judge the character; instead, he tried to figure out what was going on in Joe's life that made him make more and more dangerous choices. Phoenix thinks that Joe's fury comes from his own suffering and unhappiness, which he takes out on Mayor Ted Garcia.

Pedro Pascal is the Mayor Ted Garcia

Pedro Pascal plays Mayor Ted Garcia, the current liberal politician. Pascal's performance, coupled with Phoenix's, gives the film's absurdism a solid base. Their rivalry on screen is a big part of the story, even though the performers get along well off camera.

Taking apart Eddington's plot and main ideas

In May 2020, Eddington takes place in a made-up little town in New Mexico. The story is about the competition between Sheriff Joe Cross and Mayor Ted Garcia. Their different plans for the town during the pandemic cause turmoil, discord, and a full-blown culture war. The movie doesn't shy away from the worries of that time; instead, it shows a heightened, even ridiculous version of reality that reflects the real-life tensions of the moment. Men's Health said, "Eddington is sure to be one of the year's most polarizing films, begging for discussion and analysis," which shows how hard it is.

What the Pandemic Did to Eddington

The Covid-19 epidemic is the setting for Eddington, and it affects how the characters act and how the community feels. The movie makes people think about the agony and absurdity of 2020 by showing how people and communities dealt with an unprecedented calamity. It talks about the uneasiness and loneliness that everyone felt throughout that time.

Ari Aster's vision: the Internet, AI, and the American Berserk

Ari Aster created the script for Eddington in the summer of 2020, and he got ideas from his own experiences scrolling through social media. The movie looks at how the internet has broken up modern society by putting people in their own unique worlds. Aster incorporated real social media posts and conspiracy theories in the movie, assembling a collection of web content to make sure it was realistic.

Aster told WIRED, "This is a movie about people living in different realities who can't reach each other." He was talking about how the technology transition has made people less human. He also said, "The movie is about paranoid people, and by the end, it makes you paranoid." It gets caught up in their way of seeing the world. Philip Roth came up with the term "American Berserk" to describe times when society breaks down and how hard it is to show them without getting messed up in the process. The movie also talks with this idea. Alexandra Schwartz of The New Yorker said, "You're trying to describe a warping." So how can you not get messed up while doing it?

The Breaking Effect of Social Media

Eddington shows a universe where characters seem to live in multiple realities because of what they do online. The movie depicts the characters' Facebook and Twitter feeds, which highlight the memes and conspiracy theories that are affecting their choices. This picture shows how social media has broken up society, making it hard to interact with others.

AI: A Theme That Is Important But Not Central

Eddington's main theme is artificial intelligence, even if it is primarily a side issue. The story starts with a plan to establish a data center for teaching AI. This idea comes up again and again, even in the election scenario. Aster thinks that AI is another catastrophe waiting to happen outside of the pandemic context. It represents a day when people don't trust each other and video and audio proof could go away because of generative AI tools.

Getting to Know the "American Berserk"

The movie takes place during the "American Berserk," which refers to times in American history when there was a lot of social unrest and instability. Eddington tries to show what it's like for a society to fall apart, where people with different worldviews fight violently, which is like a national mentality under a lot of stress.

Behind the Scenes: Making Eddington's Chaos

Filming Eddington was hard because it was a dark comedy with serious topics. The cast and crew had to be very careful to find the right balance between western themes and modern worries.

The Famous Slap Scene

One scene that stands out is when Mayor Ted Garcia hits Sheriff Joe Cross. At first, Pedro Pascal didn't like the act, but Joaquin Phoenix maintained that it was real. Pascal said that Phoenix's fast communication made for a strong, real moment that was important for the scene's impact. The action was filmed in one take, which added to the raw energy and excitement.

Reception from critics and audiences: Is this a divisive movie?

Eddington has swiftly become one of the most talked-about movies of the year, with a lot of people talking about it and some people not liking it. Both critics and spectators are having a hard time with how it shows the pandemic era and how it makes socioeconomic division seem worse. The movie's unusual mix of genres and Aster's unique approach make it polarizing, which leads to discussions about what it means and what it wants to say. The difficult material will have people talking about it for a long time.

Eddington Ending Explained and What It Means

The last act of Eddington takes a sudden turn into what Aster calls "video game logic." After Sheriff Joe Cross kills Mayor Ted Garcia and tries to implicate local demonstrators, an aircraft full of anti-fascist terrorists arrives, causing a lot of damage. This part of the movie turns it into an action movie, with Phoenix's character moving through a violent, chaotic world.

Aster says that this ending makes the movie "paranoid," as the characters' point of view takes over. By bringing crazy conspiracy theories to life, it makes fun of them and makes people wonder what is satire and what is a representation of what they think is genuine. The movie says that social media has broken our brains, and the only way to fix our perception of the world is to fix the gaps that the internet and its algorithms have made. It talks about how skewed impressions can turn into a messy reality.

How This Film Compares to Other Ari Aster Films

Eddington deals with modern issues, but it still has Aster's trademark mix of psychological seriousness, dark humor, and creepy images, which can be seen in movies like Hereditary and Midsommar. Eddington pushes limits and makes people think, just like in his other works, but this time via a different genre lens.

Why Eddington is a Movie You Should See (or Talk About)

It's not easy to watch Eddington, but it is important. It is really current because it is willing to look back at the worries of 2020 and look at how social media and new technology like AI are breaking things apart. Eddington is the movie for you if you want something that makes you think and talk about it. It makes people face painful realities about themselves and society. But not everyone would like its passionate and often silly representation of chaos, especially those who like movies that let them escape. In the end, Eddington is a movie that needs to be spoken about, whether you see it or not.