You’ve seen the trailers. You’ve probably seen the memes. But honestly, the way people talk about Anya Taylor-Joy and Miles Teller usually misses the point entirely. Most fans treat them like two stars from different universes who just happened to collide in a big-budget Apple TV+ movie. In reality, their partnership is one of those rare cases where the industry actually got the chemistry right by leaning into their weirdest shared habits.
The hype around The Gorge wasn't just about two "it" actors sharing a screen. It was about whether the guy who drummed until his fingers bled in Whiplash could keep pace with the woman who stared down the end of the world in The Witch and Furiosa.
Why Everyone Is Obsessed With The Gorge (And Why It Matters)
Basically, The Gorge is a genre-bending mess in the best way possible. It starts as a slow-burn romance between two elite snipers, Levi (Teller) and Drasa (Taylor-Joy), who are stuck in literal guard towers on opposite sides of a massive, misty crevice. They aren't allowed to talk. They aren't allowed to meet.
So what do they do? They play chess with binoculars. They communicate via whiteboards. They even have a jam session where Teller bangs on improvised drums and Anya dances like a punk rock queen.
It sounds like a quirky indie film until the "Hollow Men" start climbing out of the pit. Then it turns into a full-blown sci-fi horror show.
What’s wild is that Scott Derrickson—the guy who directed Sinister and The Black Phone—was the one who saw the romantic potential here. People expected a standard action flick. What we got was a weirdly sweet story about two people who are "soulmates" in a world that wants them to stay five hundred feet apart.
The Hidden Connection Between Whiplash and The Queen's Gambit
If you look closely at their scenes in The Gorge, there are these little Easter eggs that reference their breakout roles. It's kinda meta.
- The Chess Matches: Drasa is a tactician. Watching her move pieces through a telescope is a direct wink at The Queen’s Gambit.
- The Percussion: Levi’s character uses a drum kit to signal things across the chasm. It’s impossible not to think of Andrew Neiman’s intensity from Whiplash.
They didn't just show up to collect a paycheck. They spent months training as snipers together. Anya mentioned in interviews that she loved the absurdity of the setting because it forced them to build a connection without the usual rom-com tropes.
What’s Actually Happening with Sacrifice?
Now, here is where things get complicated. Everyone thought their next collaboration was going to be the massive hit Sacrifice, directed by Romain Gavras.
The cast list was insane: Chris Evans, Salma Hayek, and Anya Taylor-Joy. People were convinced Miles Teller was in the mix too, but he actually wasn't on the final call sheet for that one. Instead, Anya took on the role of "Joan," a radical cult leader who tries to kidnap a movie star (Evans) to fulfill a prophecy involving a volcano.
It premiered at the Toronto International Film Festival (TIFF) recently and, honestly? It bombed with critics. We’re talking a 27% on Rotten Tomatoes.
It’s a tonal nightmare that tries to be a satire of celebrity culture but ends up feeling a bit hollow. It’s the opposite of The Gorge. While The Gorge was a surprise hit that stayed in the Apple TV+ top ten for over 250 days, Sacrifice struggled to find its footing despite the A-list power.
Are They Working Together Again?
Fans are already asking for a The Gorge 2. There’s been a lot of chatter and even some fan-made trailers floating around YouTube lately.
The ending of the first movie definitely left some doors open. Drasa and Levi survived the "Straydog" protocol, but they were separated. The chemistry was so high that Apple would be crazy not to bring them back.
But right now, their schedules are a bit of a nightmare.
- Anya Taylor-Joy is booked solid. She’s reprising Princess Peach in the Super Mario Galaxy movie (slated for April 2026) and there are heavy rumors about her returning for Dune: Part Three.
- Miles Teller is busy stepping into Richard Gere’s shoes for the modern remake of An Officer and a Gentleman. Plus, he’s been eyeing a project with Martin Scorsese.
The Real Impact on Their Careers
Before The Gorge, Miles Teller was riding the wave of Top Gun: Maverick. He had finally shed the "difficult to work with" reputation that followed him in the mid-2010s. For Anya, she was coming off the box office disappointment of Furiosa—a movie that was incredible but didn't make the money it deserved.
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Working together helped both of them. It proved Teller could do "sensitive romantic lead" without losing his edge, and it gave Anya a massive streaming win to balance out the theatrical risks.
They sort of represent the new "Gold Standard" for Hollywood leads. They aren't just faces; they’re physical actors. They do the stunts. They learn the instruments. They sit in the mud for twelve hours a day.
How to Follow Their Future Projects
If you want to keep up with what they’re doing next, don't just look at the trades. The most interesting stuff is usually buried in festival announcements.
Watch The Gorge on Apple TV+: If you haven't seen it, watch it for the "Date Night" scene alone. It’s the most creative use of a zipline in cinematic history.
Keep an eye on Skydance Media: They produced The Gorge and have a multi-year deal with Apple. If a sequel or another Teller/Taylor-Joy pairing happens, it will likely come through them.
Check out Sacrifice (with caution): It might have bad reviews, but Anya’s performance as a zealot is still worth watching if you’re a completionist. Just don't expect the same warmth she had with Miles.
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Ultimately, the Teller and Taylor-Joy era is just getting started. They’ve proven that you can take a ridiculous premise—like guarding a bottomless pit—and make people actually care about the people standing on the edge.
To stay ahead of their next moves, monitor the production updates for An Officer and a Gentleman and keep an ear out for any official Greenlight news on The Gorge sequel from Apple Original Films.