According to the filmmaker, the project began as a comedic take on 50 Shades of Grey before evolving into a critique of contemporary sexual dynamics.
Gregg Araki Directs I Want Your Sex
According to Gregg Araki, I Want Your Sex follows 23-year-old college graduate Elliot, played by Cooper Hoffman, who becomes an assistant to a brash artist named Erika, played by Olivia Wilde. The film’s ensemble cast also features Charli xcx, Johnny Knoxville, Margaret Cho, and Mason Gooding. Araki stated in a video call interview that the project underwent significant script revisions after initial financing fell through following his 2014 drama White Bird in a Blizzard.
Evolution of the Script and #MeToo Revisions
According to Gregg Araki, the original screenplay resembled a comic approach to 50 Shades of Grey involving a female intern and a male boss. After the project was delayed, Araki reviewed the material following his 2019 television comedy Now Apocalypse and grew uncomfortable with the traditional power dynamics depicted in the script. Araki stated that he flipped the gender roles to feature a male subordinate and a female dominant figure, noting his long-standing background as a feminist filmmaker since film school in the late 1970s.
Box Office Expectations and Cultural Reception
Araki noted that the narrative was partially inspired by a 2022 study indicating that Generation Z is having less sex than prior generations, prompting dialogue about fear of vulnerability and modern intimacy.
Did you know? I Want Your Sex marks Gregg Araki’s widest theatrical rollout for an independent feature to date, bringing his distinct brand of queer cinema to commercial multiplexes and specialized theaters alike.
Frequently Asked Questions
When is I Want Your Sex releasing in theaters?
Who stars in Gregg Araki’s new film?
What inspired the plot of I Want Your Sex?
According to Gregg Araki, the film drew inspiration from a 2022 study regarding generational shifts in sexual activity, as well as a reimagining of traditional power dynamics in cinema.
Worth a look