At the start of this decade (which feels like ages ago), Steve McQueen quickly emerged as one of the most exciting directorial voices in global cinema. The one-two punch of Hunger and Shame, two dark and intense collaborations with Michael Fassbender, led many critics and arthouse audiences to take notice of McQueen's talents, but it was the British auteur's next project that made him a household name. 2013's 12 Years a Slave was both a box office success and a critical darling, demonstrating McQueen's raw filmmaking power and knack for capturing emotional complexity. While McQueen lost out on the Best Director Oscar to Gravity's Alfonso Cuaron, the film won the coveted Best Picture prize. It's been almost five years since that masterpiece (still one of the most acclaimed films of the decade), but McQueen is finally making his return to the big screen with another star-studded project. Earlier this morning, 20th Century Fox released the first trailer for Widows- watch it below!
An epic crime saga from one of the most talented directors working today? Count me in.
Let's talk about this cast first, which is maybe the best assembly of actors I've seen in years. In fact, it's so good that I'm almost willing to call an SAG Ensemble nod right off the bat. Viola Davis, Elizabeth Debicki, Michelle Rodriguez, Cynthia Erivo, Liam Neeson, Jon Bernthal, Daniel Kaluuya, Colin Farrell, Robert Duvall, Brian Tyree Henry, Jacki Weaver- does it get much better than this? The main quartet of actors, especially Davis, seem to be perfect for their roles, though I'm also fairly intrigued by what looks like a more villainous turn for Kaluuya.
But on a more interesting note, I will say that Widows looks much more serious than I imagined from reading the logline, which seemed to tease a more lightweight revenge saga. With Gone Girl writer Gillian Flynn on board, I was anticipating that McQueen would flex his genre muscles and lean into some darkly comedic territory. However, this seems like the furthest thing from a comedy, and I am more than okay with that. McQueen is an astonishingly good director, so it's no surprise that Widows looks gritty and brilliant. But this is also a pretty big step up in scale for the filmmaker, even after crafting one of the most expansive and brutal period dramas of the decade. I can't wait to see how McQueen handles these big action scenes, which look visceral, thrilling, and even reminiscent of Michael Mann's Heat. Basically, this is all a long-winded way of saying that Widows looks flat-out incredible. This is going to be a gripping ride, and I can't wait.
Widows opens in theaters on November 16. Look for it to debut on the fall festival circuit.
An epic crime saga from one of the most talented directors working today? Count me in.
Let's talk about this cast first, which is maybe the best assembly of actors I've seen in years. In fact, it's so good that I'm almost willing to call an SAG Ensemble nod right off the bat. Viola Davis, Elizabeth Debicki, Michelle Rodriguez, Cynthia Erivo, Liam Neeson, Jon Bernthal, Daniel Kaluuya, Colin Farrell, Robert Duvall, Brian Tyree Henry, Jacki Weaver- does it get much better than this? The main quartet of actors, especially Davis, seem to be perfect for their roles, though I'm also fairly intrigued by what looks like a more villainous turn for Kaluuya.
But on a more interesting note, I will say that Widows looks much more serious than I imagined from reading the logline, which seemed to tease a more lightweight revenge saga. With Gone Girl writer Gillian Flynn on board, I was anticipating that McQueen would flex his genre muscles and lean into some darkly comedic territory. However, this seems like the furthest thing from a comedy, and I am more than okay with that. McQueen is an astonishingly good director, so it's no surprise that Widows looks gritty and brilliant. But this is also a pretty big step up in scale for the filmmaker, even after crafting one of the most expansive and brutal period dramas of the decade. I can't wait to see how McQueen handles these big action scenes, which look visceral, thrilling, and even reminiscent of Michael Mann's Heat. Basically, this is all a long-winded way of saying that Widows looks flat-out incredible. This is going to be a gripping ride, and I can't wait.
Widows opens in theaters on November 16. Look for it to debut on the fall festival circuit.
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