When pop deconstruction meets Scorsese’s darkness

Charlie X-C-X in the film “What Happens at Night”, a pop phenomenon in the master director’s gothic labyrinth demands more than a mere cameo role; it is a clash of aesthetics in which the boundaries between club subculture and auteur classicism are erased

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Filming has begun in the Czech Republic, Photo: vitalthrills.com
Disclaimer: The translations are mostly done through AI translator and might not be 100% accurate.Nina Vujacic
26.10.2026. 16:01h

When “Variety” broke the news that Charlie X-C-X joins the cast of the upcoming film Martin Scorsese “What Happens at Night” has been largely covered by mainstream media as another in a series of interesting pop-culture fusions. However, anyone who has closely followed the trajectory of this British artist – from her uncompromising redefinition of the club sound to the sharp visual aesthetic of her album Brat – knows that this is not just about scoring cheap points at the expense of her current global fame.

It is known that the pop artist will appear in this dark, gothic-tinged thriller alongside an elite cast led by:Leonardo DiCaprio, Jennifer Lawrence, Mads Mikkelsen, Patricia Clarkson i Jared Harris. However, what makes this engagement relevant in a strictly professional and critical sense is the continuity of Scorsese’s interest in the zeitgeist. The director who entered the history of cinema by dissecting human ambition, morality and ruin clearly recognizes something authentic in Charlie X-CX, the same kind of urban nervousness and sharpness that he has built up over the years through his own work.

Their creative recognition didn’t actually begin in the casting studio; Scorsese’s symbolic appearance in visuals related to her work already suggested that these two aesthetic lines naturally intersected. The film “What Happens at Night,” based on the novel of the same name Peter Cameron(Peter Cameron), follows an American couple who travel to a small, snow-covered European town to adopt a baby. Behind the seemingly simple journey lies a dreamlike atmosphere, and the snow-covered European setting promises a claustrophobic story filled with secrets and suspense. This is precisely why this film seems like the perfect setting for Charlie X-C-X’s distinctive, detached, and somewhat cold stage energy.

Filming has already begun in the Czech Republic, with the support of the Czech Film Commission. The project is being produced by Apple Original Films, produced by Apple Studios, in collaboration with STUDIOCANAL. The first photos from the shoot have already been released, and they show Jennifer Lawrence and Leonardo DiCaprio in the snowy surroundings of the Czech location.

Scorsese is directing and producing on behalf of his company Sikelia Productions. He wrote the screenplay, based on a literary model. Patrick Marber. DiCaprio, Lawrence and Daniel Lupi are also producers, while executive production for Sikelia Productions is signed by Lisa Frechette i Marijana Bover. STUDIOCANAL studio, which purchased the rights to develop the film and first announced the project in 2023.

While details about the character of Charlie X-CX and the scope of her role remain under wraps, the very fact that Scorsese introduces representatives of contemporary subculture into his visually and thematically complex projects speaks to his ongoing effort to keep the film in tune with the moment in which it is being made. With the already confirmed cast, which also includes other prominent actors, her involvement further fuels interest in a film whose story and atmosphere are only partially revealed so far.

“What Happens at Night” marks the latest collaboration between Scorsese, DiCaprio and Apple Original Films, following the ten-Oscar-nominated “Killers of the Flower Moon.” Jennifer Lawrence previously worked with Apple Original Films on “Causeway” and “Bread & Roses,” and is also set to star in and produce “The Wives.”

There is no doubt that the combination of Scorsese’s signature auteur sensibility and the presence of Charlie X-CX, an artist who has built her identity in recent years on pushing the boundaries of contemporary pop culture, will generate additional interest. However, the ultimate significance of her involvement will depend on how her appearance fits into the narrative and atmosphere of the film.

This is not necessarily a matter of cheap marketing, but rather a possible meeting of two different, yet equally recognizable, authorial sensibilities. The title “What Happens at Night” itself sounds like the perfect setting for a space where a pop icon and a master of dark film drama can meet – on the border of sleep, discomfort, and hidden human urges.

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„What Happens at Night“Martin ScorseseCharlie X-C-XLeonardo DiCaprioJennifer LawrenceMads Mikkelsen