About

The Wasps (listed under its permit title "Aristophanes Adaptation") is a micro-budget black-and-white feature film adapting Aristophanes' 422 BC comedy, shot entirely in a backyard recreation of ancient Athens in Austin's Cherrywood neighborhood. Written and directed by Jake Binstock and Parker Rouse, the film is executive produced by Richard Linklater, who mentored the filmmakers after they worked as his art assistants on his ranch. The story follows Procleon (Dale Dobson), a conservative father whose liberal son Anticleon (Luke Ellis) tries to control his erratic behavior -- until dad's drunk war buddies come knocking. The filmmakers created what they call a "Frankenstein version" of the script, synthesizing multiple translations including David Barrett's 1964 and Benjamin Bickley Rogers' 1875 editions, then shaping dialogue during rehearsals around the actors' sensibilities. The cast includes David Mercy, Ross McLeod, Gary Pyle, Daniela Vidaurre, and Sam Beeson. Binstock and Rouse began collaborating in seventh grade at Indian Creek School in Crownsville, Maryland, making short films at age 13 before attending Emerson College and Temple University respectively. Principal photography occurred in May 2022, with producer Andrew Caplan and composer Luke Turner rounding out the core team. The film premiered at Blue Starlite Mini Urban Drive-In in Austin on January 18, 2025, followed by an indoor screening with Q&A at Violet Crown Cinema on February 26, 2025, and a program at AFS Cinema in early 2026. It holds an 8.0 rating on IMDb.