The first trailer has finally arrived for the next film of fan favorite horror director Guillermo Del Toro, showing off the star-studded cast and many thrills to come from Nightmare Alley. Starring Bradley Cooper, Cate Blanchett, Willem Dafoe, Rooney Mara, and many more, this is a major project for fans of horror and mystery to look forward to this coming winter.
Though this first brief look at the film doesn’t explain much about the plot, it sure provokes plenty of questions using provocative imagery in that trademark Del Toro style with deep colors and plenty of shadows. The film is based on the 1946 novel of the same name, but for those who have not read it or seen the 1947 adaptation, this first footage thankfully leaves all the mysteries unsolved.
Bradley Cooper leads as Stanton Carlisle, a manipulative carny who arrives at a circus where they proclaim a terrifying sight to behold— a creature that defies science, that blurs the line between man and beast, the “supreme oddity.”
The trailer reveals his amorous encounters with Dr. Lilith Ritter (Blanchett), a psychiatrist whose penchant for manipulation will give Carlisle a run for his money. A love triangle appears to unfold as he also becomes involved with carnival worker Molly (Mara).
Notably, this film will not contain any supernatural elements. Rather than utilizing the supernatural to induce horror, this time Del Toro intends for all of the tension to come from human drama, accentuated by the film’s dark noir style.
In an interview with Collider, Del Toro said about the project, “Now is the first chance I have to do a real underbelly of society type of movie. [There are] no supernatural elements. Just a straight, really dark story.”
He also stated something horror fans will be grateful to hear: “[Nightmare Alley will be a] big R. Double R!”
Nightmare Alley is scheduled for theatrical release on Dec. 17.
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