Watch: Lucas Hedges, Nicole Kidman, and Russell Crowe star in first trailer for Joel Edgerton's 'Boy Erased'

It's always a major question mark when a famous actor makes their directorial debut. Sometimes you end up with Greta Gerwig's Lady Bird, other times the result looks more like Ewan McGregor's American Pastoral. After prominent roles in The Great Gatsby, Zero Dark Thirty, and Warrior during the first half of the decade, Joel Edgerton surprised audiences everywhere in 2015 with The Gift, a sensational and shockingly chilling mystery. Edgerton's debut received rave reviews, but it's the kind of genre outing that is often overlooked when it comes to the Oscar race. Three years later, Edgerton is looking to break into the awards competition as a writer/director with Boy Erased, an adaptation of Garrard Conley's autobiography. Earlier today, Focus Features released the first trailer for the Lucas Hedges-led film- check it out below!

So Focus is clearly marketing this as traditional Oscar fare, mixing a hot-button subject with powerful trailer moments for a movie that will catch the attention of awards voters. But it's clear even from this brief look that Boy Erased will be a cut above most generic Oscar movies, the kind of film that has the potential to be raw, emotionally shattering, and undeniably powerful. Edgerton already proved his genre chops, and I have a feeling he's going to show us his directorial range with this project. And he's also playing the film's most obvious villain, so we could be hearing his name quite a few times come Oscar season. 

Beyond Edgerton, the cast is astounding. As closeted Catholic schoolboy Danny in Lady Bird, Lucas Hedges made audiences tear up with just one brief little moment. I can barely imagine what he'll do with this role, as his performances in Manchester by the Sea and Three Billboards have demonstrated what an incredible young actor he is. Plus, it helps when you're starring alongside giants like Nicole Kidman and Russell Crowe, who will surely knock their roles out of the park. Boy Erased looks handsomely crafted and impeccably shot (I'm really liking cinematographer Eduard Grau's work here), but it also looks touching and angering in equal measure. Could this be one of the more impressive Oscar power players of 2018?

Boy Erased will arrive in limited release on November 2. Look for Edgerton's film to play at the fall festivals before it hits theaters.

Image: Focus/IMDb