Kirsten Dunst returns to Florida in Reptilia opposite Mikey Madison

Per Variety, Reptilia comes from director Alejandro Landes Echavarría, who won the World Cinema Dramatic Special Jury Award at Sundance in 2019 for his film Monos (which was Colombia’s submission for Best International Feature at the 2020 Oscars). Reptilia “tells the story of a dental hygienist who is seduced by a mysterious mermaid into the dark and wet underworld of Florida’s exotic animal trade,” according to the logline. Landes Echavarría co-wrote the script with Duke Merriman (who produced Monos). 

It’s unclear at this time whether we’re talking about mermaids in the literal, mythical sense or the real-life professional mermaid kind. The “exotic animal trade” bit would perhaps suggest the former, but the latter is a fascinating world in its own right. They have really expensive tails and have to hold their breath under water for long periods of time, performing at parties and doing activities like swimming with sharks. That feels like rich narrative territory for Dunst and Madison to explore!