New Regency and 20th Century Fox just revealed the first trailer and poster for their upcoming film, ASSASSIN’S CREED.
Check it out below.
Through a revolutionary technology that unlocks his genetic memories, Callum Lynch (Michael Fassbender) experiences the adventures of his ancestor, Aguilar, in 15th Century Spain. Callum discovers he is descended from a mysterious secret society, the Assassins, and amasses incredible knowledge and skills to take on the oppressive and powerful Templar organization in the present day.
ASSASSIN’S CREED stars Academy Award:registered: nominee Michael Fassbender (X-Men: Days of Future Past, 12 Years a Slave) and Academy Award winner Marion Cotillard (The Dark Knight Rises, La Vie en Rose).
The film is directed by Justin Kurzel (Snowtown, Macbeth); produced by New Regency, Ubisoft Motion Pictures, DMC Films and Kennedy/Marshall; co-financed by RatPac Entertainment and Alpha Pictures; and distributed by 20th Century Fox .
ASSASSIN’S CREED opens in theatres worldwide on December 21st, 2016.
Callum Lynch (Michael Fassbender) reacts to a revolutionary technology, administered by the mysterious Sofia (Marion Cotillard). Photo Credit: Kerry Brown.As he awaits his “execution,” Callum Lynch (Michael Fassbender) is as yet unaware of the incredible adventures that lie ahead for him. Photo Credit: Kerry Brown.Through a revolutionary technology that unlocks his genetic memories, Callum Lynch (Michael Fassbender) experiences the adventures of his ancestor, Aguilar, in 15th Century Spain. Photo Credit: Kerry Brown.Through a revolutionary technology that unlocks his genetic memories, Callum Lynch (Michael Fassbender) experiences the adventures of his ancestor, Aguilar, in 15th Century Spain with Maria (Ariane Labed). Photo Credit: Kerry Brown.
Michael Fassbender and Marion Cotillard deliver gripping performances in a dark, atmospheric and bloody MACBETH. While this dark, bloody film is powerful, this film should not be one’s first introduction to Shakespeare’s classic, as a significant amount of the play itself is missing. No boiling cauldron and “double, double toil and trouble” open this version of the Scottish play, although the three “weird sisters” appear after a battle with their prophetic pronouncements. It is more an updated interpretation than the definitive screen adaption but still a must-see for fans of the Bard, as well as a worthy addition to the film canon of his works.
Brooding, bloody and filled with ghosts, director Justin Kurzel’s MACBETH takes place in a ruggedly beautiful landscape, creating a film that is visually striking. As the film unfolds, the screen often suffused with red, and landscapes take on increasingly darker tones. Battle scenes, reveling in muddy and blood in a way that recalls BRAVEHEART, and memories of battle figure heavily in this version, set in foggy Scottish moors and a mountainous, windswept landscape.
The script by Jacob Koskoff, Todd Louiso and Michael Lesslie captures the gritty violence in the tragedy thoroughly but the opening cauldron scene is not the only familiar one left out or significantly changed, making this a film more based on the play than a more pure film version. The film focuses most strongly on scenes with MacBeth himself, played powerfully by Fassbender. More than anything, this is Fassbender’s film. MacBeth’s own ambition figures more heavily in driving events than magic from the three witches or influence from politically-scheming allies or even Lady MacBeth. Still, the scenes between Fassbender and Cotillard are gripping, fiery stuff, and Cotillard in particular delivers a riveting performance.
A brief screen of text at the start sets the stage for the story, and replaces some information from missing scenes. It tells us how General MacBeth (Fassbender), Thane of Glamis, leads the army of the beleaguered King Duncan (David Thewlis) against rebellious forces in a last-stand battle and emerges with a surprise victory. The overjoyed king comes to visit his general, bestowing on MacBeth the title Thane of Cawdor, fulfilling the witches’ prophecy that MacBeth and his ally and kinsman Banquo (Paddy Considine), who also predict MacBeth will be king and, MacBeth being childless, Banquo’s descendents there after.
In this dark film, dead children are a reoccurring presence. The films opens with a Highland funeral, with blond-haired toddler on a pyre and the couple mourning, presumably, the death of their child. Shakespeare’s play presents the couple as childless but makes clear that Lady MacBeth has given birth to at least one, in the chilling speech in which she urges on to carry through in their plan to kill King Duncan. There is another child who figures heavily, a teen boy lost in battle. Both children return as visions, in some of the most haunting scenes of the film.
Among the most dramatically striking scenes is one between MacBeth and Lady MacBeth, shortly after they have been crowned king and queen. In their high-vaulted royal bedroom, MacBeth speaks in threatening manner to his wife about their childless state, a startlingly different interpretation of the scene. Both Fassbender and Cotillard are electrifying in this scene. Fassbender frequently is praised for his outstanding work, even in lesser films, but hopefully this complex, moving performance will give Cotillard more of the recognition she deserves. Her final scene is presented in an even more unusual fashion but she brings layers of despair and loss to the scene that adds immensely to its power.
While the acting is marvelous, the missing scenes and frequent dream-like sequences of ghosts and battlefields gives the film a kind of fitful feel, rather than one of sustained drama. Still, one cannot fault the outstanding cinematic style of this MACBETH, which succeeds admirably in creating mood. While its truncated version means it should be no one’s introduction to the play, this re-imagining offers some powerful scenes and dramatically gripping performances, making it worth the trip to the theater.
MACBETH opens in St. Louis on Friday, December 11th, 2015.
From the producers of THE KING’S SPEECH comes the story of a fearless Scottish General, Macbeth (Michael Fassbender), whose ambitious wife (Marion Cotillard) urges him to use wicked means to gain power of the throne. A thrilling interpretation of one of Shakespeare’s most famous and compelling characters, MACBETH is a dramatic reimagining of the realities of war-torn times and a tale of all-consuming passion and ambition.
MACBETH is directed by Justin Kurzel (Snowtown) and stars Academy-Award nominee Michael Fassbender (12 Years A Slave) and Academy-Award winner Marion Cotillard (La Vie En Rose). The film also stars Paddy Considine (The Bourne Ultimatum), David Thewlis (the Harry Potter series), Sean Harris (Prometheus), Jack Reynor (What Richard Did) and Elizabeth Debicki (The Great Gatsby). The screenplay by Jacob Koskoff & Todd Louiso and Michael Lesslie
MACBETH opens in St. Louis, Friday, December 11.
WAMG invites you to enter for a chance to win a pass (Good for 2) to the advance screening of MACBETHon Tuesday, December 8th at 7PM in the St. Louis area.
We will contact the winners by email.
Answer the following:
In William Shakespeare’s play, who says the famous line:
Double, double toil and trouble; Fire burn, and cauldron bubble.
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OFFICIAL RULES:
1. YOU MUST BE IN THE ST. LOUIS AREA THE DAY OF THE SCREENING.
2. A pass does not guarantee a seat at a screening. Seating is on a first-come, first served basis. The theater is overbooked to assure a full house. The theater is not responsible for overbooking.
— Festival de Cannes (@Festival_Cannes) May 23, 2015
Of all of William Shakespeare’s classic works, Macbeth must surely be amongst his most famous.
Certainly, in the more than 400 years since its first publication, it has been one of the most frequently adapted; revived regularly on stage and re-envisioned time and again in the age of cinema and television.
Now comes a bold and daring version starring Academy-Award nominee Michael Fassbender (12 Years A Slave) and Academy-Award winner Marion Cotillard (La Vie En Rose).
Directed by Justin Kurzel (Snowtown), MACBETH had its World Premiere at the 2015 Cannes Film Festival and was the final movie to screen in Competition.
In his review, Guy Lodge (Variety) praises the director’s “thrillingly elemental new adaptation. Fearsomely visceral and impeccably performed, it’s a brisk, bracing update, even as it remains exquisitely in period.”
The tragic tale of a Scottish general haunted by his own ambition, and a prophecy that he will one day become King of Scotland, has long fascinated actors, directors and audiences, and on the big screen has led to adaptations by directors from Orson Welles (the 1948 version features Orson Welles as Macbeth, Jeanette Nolan as Lady Macbeth, Dan O’Herlihy as Macduff and Roddy McDowall as Malcolm) to Akira Kurosawa (Throne of Blood, 1957) to Roman Polanski (the 1971 movie stars Jon Finch as Macbeth and Francesca Annis as Lady Macbeth).
With a screenplay by Jacob Koskoff & Todd Louiso and Michael Lesslie, MACBETH (2015) also stars Paddy Considine (The Bourne Ultimatum), David Thewlis (the Harry Potter series), Sean Harris (Prometheus), Jack Reynor (What Richard Did) and Elizabeth Debicki (The Great Gatsby).
MACBETH is the story of a fearless warrior and inspiring leader brought low by ambition and desire.
A thrilling interpretation of the dramatic realities of the times and a reimagining of what wartime must have been like for one of Shakespeare’s most famous and compelling characters, a story of all-consuming passion and ambition, set in war torn Scottish landscape.
Preserving Shakespeare’s language was always key to the making of the film. “We approached it with simplicity,” says Michael Fassbender, cast in the role of Macbeth. “We never tried to work against the verse or just disregard it, but we kept things simple and tangible, and the idea Justin had from the beginning was to be a lot more intimate with the text than we’ve seen before, but always truthful. As with any script, you don’t set out to sabotage this tremendous writing but you work with it and ground yourself within it.”
“We had to really work at it because Shakespeare can be hard to understand, even for English people,” notes French actress Marion Cotillard, cast in the role of Lady Macbeth. “But it created an energy that carried us the whole way.”
Shot entirely on location, the film’s director of photography was Adam Arkapaw (True Detective, Snowtown) and production designer was Fiona Crombie (Snowtown, Top of the Lake). Costumes were designed by Academy Award winner Jacqueline Durran (Atonement, Tinker Tailor Soldier Spy) with make-up and hair designed by Academy-Award winner Jenny Shircore (The Invisible Woman, My Week With Marilyn). The score is from Jed Kurzel (THE BABADOOK, SLOW WEST).
Academy Award winners Iain Canning and Emile Sherman of See-Saw Films (Shame, Tracks, Mr Holmes) produce with Laura Hastings-Smith (Hunger). See-Saw developed the project alongside Film4. STUDIOCANAL majority financed with Film4.
MACBETH opens in UK cinemas on October 2, 2015; The Weinstein Company will release the movie in the US.
