Apple TV+ and A24 have unveiled a new teaser trailer forThe Tragedy of Macbeth, a newShakespeareadaptation directed byJoel Coen, starring Academy Award-winnersDenzel WashingtonandFrances McDormand. Described as “a tale of murder, madness, ambition and wrathful cunning,”The Tragedy of Macbethpremiered at the New York Film Festival in September and has already amassed rave reviews.
The 43-second teaser, much likethe one that debuted in September, shows off the stunning black-and-white visuals that Coen and his cinematographerBruno Delbonnelhave crafted. Shot entirely on soundstages and filmed in the Academy ratio,The Tragedy of Macbethpays homage to German expressionism and the films ofIngmar Bergman.
A morality tale about ambition and guilt,Macbethtells the story of a Scottish general who is prophesied by three witches to one day become king. Spurred on by Lady Macbeth, he becomes consumed by a desire to conquer all, slowly sacrificing his humanity and descending into madness.
RELATED:Joel Coen’s ‘The Tragedy of Macbeth’ Teaser Trailer Showcases Denzel Washington, Frances McDormand, and Gorgeous Cinematography
Macbethhas been adapted numerous times on screen —Orson Wellesdirected a version in 1948,Roman Polanskihelmed one in 1971, and more recently,Michael Fassbenderplayed the character for directorJustin Kurzelin a 2015 adaptation. More expressionistic adaptations have also been made around the world. These includeAkira Kurosawa’sThrone of Blood, which transposed the story from medieval Scotland to feudal Japan;William Reilly’s mob pictureMen of Respect; and directorVishal Bhardwaj’sMaqbool, which was based in the Mumbai underworld.
Besides Delbonnel, who has previously worked with the Coen Brothers on theirParis, je t’aimeshort,Inside Llewyn Davis, andThe Ballad of Buster Scruggs, longtime Coen collaboratorCarter Burwellis back to compose the score. In fact, it was Burwell who revealed in an appearanceon the podcast Scorewhy Ethan isn’t involved in the film. “Ethan just didn’t want to make movies anymore,” he said bluntly.
The Tragedy of Macbethalso starsCorey Hawkins,Moses Ingram,Ralph Ineson,Sean Patrick Thomas,Harry Melling,Bertie Carvel,Kathryn Hunter,Brendan Gleeson, andStephen Root.The Tragedy of Macbethwill receive a limited theatrical release on December 25, followed by a streaming release on Apple TV+ on January 14. Check out the new teaser forThe Tragedy of Macbethhere:
KEEP READING:5 Frances McDormand Performances to See Before ‘The Tragedy of Macbeth’
