Oscar winner Mikey Madison lines up first post-award project alongside Kirsten Dunst

Fresh off her Oscar win for Anora, Mikey Madison has lined up her first major project and it’s already turning heads.

While Demi Moore was heavily favored to win Best Actress at this year’s Academy Awards, Madison shocked the industry by taking home the trophy instead.

Following Anora's impressive haul of five Academy Awards and Madison’s unexpected win, fans and insiders alike have been speculating about her next move.

Many assumed she would follow the traditional path of joining a major franchise.

In fact, Madison was reportedly offered a role in Shawn Levy’s upcoming Star Wars: Starfighter, starring Ryan Gosling. The project, with its franchise pedigree and blockbuster potential, seemed like a natural next step for a rising star.

However, Madison has instead chosen something more offbeat and personal: she will star in Reptilia, a psychological thriller co-starring Kirsten Dunst.

As reported by Variety, Reptilia centers on a mysterious mermaid who lures a dental hygienist into the dangerous underworld of Florida’s exotic animal trade.

The film will be directed by Alejandro Landes Echavarría, whose 2019 feature Monos earned acclaim and won the World Cinema Dramatic Special Jury Award at Sundance.

The script for Reptilia is co-written by Landes Echavarría and Duke Merriman, promising a unique and atmospheric entry into the thriller genre.

This choice reflects Madison’s inclination toward bold, character-driven films over formulaic blockbusters.

While she has experience in franchise fare, appearing in 2022’s Scream and the 2019 animated Addams Family, her standout work has come in more singular stories like Once Upon a Time... in Hollywood and Anora.

By turning down a role in one of Hollywood’s biggest franchises in favor of a smaller, visionary thriller, Madison is clearly signaling that she’s choosing artistic direction over conventional star-making.