Fresh off her Oscar win for Best Actress in 2025 (thanks to her breakout role in Anora ), rising star Maika Madison has officially decided that winning Hollywood’s biggest award wasn’t dramatic enough.

So what does she do next?

She dives headfirst into the murky waters of Florida mythology , illegal wildlife trafficking, and a mermaid who probably wants revenge. All while working alongside Kirsten Dunst . Because why not?

Let’s unpack this bizarre and exciting new project: Reptilia — the psychological thriller that mixes dental hygiene with deep-sea horror.

---

🧠 What Is Reptilia About?

Forget everything you know about mermaids. This isn’t Ariel with a cute crab sidekick — it’s more like The Creature from the Black Lagoon meets Silence of the Lambs , with a splash of Floridian weirdness.

In Reptilia , Maika plays a dental hygienist (yes, really) who gets entangled with a mysterious mermaid — or perhaps something even stranger — that drags her into the dark underworld of exotic animal trafficking .

No, we’re not making this up.

Think:

• Swamps
• Smuggling rings
• Underwater cults
• A protagonist who brushes teeth for a living

It’s like if David Lynch directed Finding Nemo . And somehow, it sounds amazing.

---

🎥 Who’s Behind the Madness?

This genre-bending flick is directed by Alejandro Landes Echavarría , best known for his gritty films Porfirio and Monos — both praised for their intense visuals and political undertones.

He co-wrote the script with Duke Johnson (Anomalisa , Community ) — so expect emotional depth, moral ambiguity, and possibly someone crying underwater.

Produced by Black Bear Pictures , the indie studio behind hits like I, Tonya and We Need to Talk About Kevin , Reptilia promises to be as visually striking as it is disturbingly compelling.

---

🌊 Why a Mermaid Thriller? Why Now?

Because apparently, Florida wasn’t creepy enough.

Between alligators in sewers, sinkholes swallowing cars whole, and politicians doing questionable things, Reptilia feels right at home in the Sunshine State.

The film will reportedly blend psychological tension with modern mythmaking , giving us a story that’s part folk horror , part eco-thriller , and fully unsettling.

And yes, there may be scenes involving dentistry and fish scales. We warned you.

---

👑 Kirsten Dunst Joins the Deep End

Just when you thought this couldn’t get any better, Kirsten Dunst joins the cast — because every great mermaid movie needs a veteran scream queen.

While details about her character are still under wraps, we’re guessing she’ll play either:

• The mermaid’s therapist
• The leader of an underground swamp cult
• Or just a very confused dentist colleague

Either way, fans are already excited — and investors are suddenly feeling very confident.

---

📸 Production & Distribution Plans

Filming is set to begin this fall of 2025 , which means we’ll likely see teasers sometime in late 2026 — unless someone gets eaten during production.

International rights are being handled by Charades , who will shop the film around at Cannes 2025 — where people sip champagne and talk about mermaid trauma.

Domestic distribution is in the hands of UTA Independent Film Group and 30WEST , so expect festival buzz, limited theatrical runs, and a slow descent into streaming platforms that make you feel guilty for watching on your phone.

---

🏆 Maika Madison: From Indie Darling to Oscar Winner to… Mermaid Hunter?

Maika’s career is currently moving faster than a dolphin on Red Bull.

From indie darling to Oscar winner , her performance in Anora proved she could carry a film and break hearts in equal measure. Now, with Reptilia , she’s taking a sharp turn into darker, weirder territory.

This role could mark a major shift in her filmography — proving she’s not afraid to take risks, dive deep, and chew through scripts like they owe her money.

---

🐊 Final Thoughts: This Might Be the Most Unsettling Movie of the Year

Reptilia doesn’t sound like your average blockbuster — and thank goodness for that.

With a bold director, a daring concept, and two powerhouse actresses ready to go full Gillian Anderson-in-The X-Files mode, this one might just become the next big thing at Sundance… or at least the most talked-about movie to feature a mermaid with a vendetta.