Joel Coen, one of half of the Coen brothers, and A24 have teamed up for an adaptation of William Shakespeare’s Macbeth. The short first trailer for the December release is, simply put, stunning.
Starring Denzel Washington as Macbeth and Francis McDormand’s Lady Macbeth, the trailer is all about mood and vibes. Gorgeous black-and-white photography and a 4:3 aspect ratio give it a stately, Laurence Olivier-like feel. There’s little to no dialogue in the trailer, and only a couple short scenes; we see Macbeth trudging his way through foggy battlefields and dark castles, as well as Lady Macbeth, standing at a window — probably plotting a murder. Of course, the trailer also shows us its version of the three witches, one of the Macbeth’s most iconic scenes.
The Tragedy of Macbeth looks like a departure from Joel Coen’s traditional style in more than a few ways. Most notably, it’s the first film in his career that he’s directed without his brother Ethan Coen as a co-director. Meanwhile, at least based on the trailer, it seems this version of Macbeth could be absent Coen’s usual humor and wit, depending on how faithful it is to Shakespeare’s text. Thankfully, Coen has always been a master of tragedy and dramatic irony and Macbeth has plenty of both.
The Tragedy of Macbeth will be released in theaters on Dec. 25 and on Apple TV Plus a few weeks later on Jan. 14, 2022.
