Trailer Round-Up – 11 February, 2017

The LEGO Ninjago Movie [embed]https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=sZSYYiATFTI[/embed] A new animated adventure in Warner Bros. Pictures’ LEGO franchise, The LEGO Ninjago Movie, directed by Charlie Bean, stars Dave Franco, Justin Theroux, Fred Armisen, Abbi Jacobson, Olivia Munn, Kumail Nanjiani, Michael Peña, Zach Woods, and the legendary Jackie Chan. The LEGO Ninjago Movie is a spin-off more in line with the original LEGO Movie in the sense that it's centered on a bunch of original/unfamiliar characters, unlike LEGO Batman, which made ample use of a ton of very well-known character and brands. The animation still looks as lively and fun as ever, and many of the jokes land so this spin-off appears to be on the right track. The LEGO Ninjago Movie is set for a 22 September, 2017 release in the US and 13 October, release in the UK. The Circle [embed]https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=2C9tKfl8t0Y[/embed] Starring Emma Watson, John Boyega, Bill Paxton, Patton Oswalt, Karen Gillan and Tom Hanks, The Circle, directed by James Ponsoldt is an adaptation of the Dave Eggers’ novel of the same name. Set in the not-too-distant future, The Circle is the story of Mae (Watson), who is hired to work for the world’s largest and most powerful tech and social media company. As she rises through the ranks, she is encouraged by the company’s founder, Eamon Bailey (Hanks), to engage in a groundbreaking experiment that pushes the boundaries of privacy, ethics and ultimately her personal freedom. Her participation in the experiment, and every decision she makes begin to affect the lives and future of her friends, family and that of humanity. The Circle benefits from a great cast and the still timely subject matter of exploring how modern technology and constant connectivity affects our lives. The main problem with the trailer is that it makes the movie out to be about uncovering some kind of mystery or conspiracy, but all the plot details make the supposed 'secret' of The Circle pretty obvious. The movie may well have a few tricks up its sleeve, but the trailer somewhat sells it short in that respect. The Circle is set for a 28 April 2017 release in the US. The Beguiled [embed]https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=3JA0evif-mU[/embed] The Beguiled, a remake of the 1971 film of the same name, based on a 1966 novel, stars Colin Farrell, Nicole Kidman, Kirsten Dunst and Elle Fanning, and is directed by Sofia Coppola. The movie is set in a girls’ school in the state of Virginia in 1864. As the Civil War rages, The Miss Martha Farnsworth Seminary for Young Ladies has been sheltered from the outside world— until the day a wounded Union soldier is discovered nearby and taken in. With that level of talent involved, the trailer for The Beguiled could just have been a list of names and it would have been enough to get people's attention. The trailer we did get effectively establishes the basic premise and teases how the presence of Farrel's soldier character causes tension and strife among the women in the school. The costumes look fantastic and the movie looks promising. The Beguiled is set for a 23 June, 2017 general release in the UK and limited release in the USA. It Comes at Night [embed]https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=sKnigN8OiNc[/embed] In It Comes at Night, the new horror film from acclaimed filmmaker Trey Edward Shults, starring Joel Edgerton, a father will stop at nothing to protect his wife and son from a malevolent, mysterious presence terrorizing them right outside their doorstep. While the trailer doesn't say much of anything about the premise or even the characters, it does a great job of setting up a tense and uneasy atmosphere. It Comes at Night looks like a very promising horror movie indeed, which is always appreciated in a genre crowded with cheap, uninspired cash-grabs. It Comes at Night is set for a 25 August, 2017 release in the US. Headshot [embed]https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=ERNoeRyRhRA[/embed] Headshot, directed by Kimo Stamboel and Timo Tjahjanto is the story of a man (Iko Uwais), who is discovered left for dead with a gunshot wound to the head, and, after months in a coma, is nursed back to health by young student-doctor Ailin. Realizing that the man is an amnesiac, Ailin renames him Ishmael. When Ailin is kidnapped by a gang of dangerous criminals led by enigmatic crime lord Lee, Ishmael suspects his true identity is closely tied to these people. Determined to save the woman who rescued him, Ishmael has no choice but to confront his past. It's a revenge thriller starring Iko Uwais (The Raid, The Raid 2) - that alone is enough to get the attention of action fans and even if Headshot doesn't live up to those lofty standards, it still looks like it could be an action-packed fun time. Headshot is set for a 3 March, 2017 release in the UK. Life [embed]https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=cuA-xqBw4jE[/embed] Starring Jake Gyllenhaal, Rebecca Ferguson, Ryan Reynolds, Hiroyuki Sanada, Ariyon Bakare, and Olga Dihovichnaya, Life, directed by Daniel Espinosa, tells the story of the six-member crew of the International Space Station that is on the cutting edge of one of the most important discoveries in human history: the first evidence of extraterrestrial life on Mars. As the crew begins to conduct research, their methods end up having unintended consequences and the life form proves more intelligent than anyone ever expected. While certainly better and more memorable than the first trailer, Life still doesn't look like anything more than a glossy Alien knock-off. To be fair, it's a great movie to steal from, but what we've seen so far of the creature design is not even close to being as interesting or memorable as the iconic xenomorph - it just looks like a generic tentacle monster, and even with an all-star cast, it's hard to get excited about that. Life is set for a 24 March, 2017 release. Guardians of the Galaxy Vol. 2 [embed]https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=CaLNiC-bKHQ[/embed] Guardians of the Galaxy Vol. 2 will once again feature the adventures of the ragtag group of losers and misfits, who banded together to protect the galaxy. Writer and director James Gunn returns for the sequel of the 2014 Marvel hit, as do original cast members Chris Pratt, Zoe Saldana, Dave Bautista, Bradley Cooper, Vin Diesel, Michael Rooker (The Walking Dead) and Karen Gillan (Doctor Who). They are joined by newcomers Pom Klementieff, Elizabeth Debicki (The Man From U.N.C.L.E.), Chris Sullivan (This is Us) and Kurt Russel. While there were quite a few Superbowl spots and trailers for various movies, most didn't really have a lot of new footage to offer, mainly because movies like Baywatch, Logan and A Cure for Wellness already have a bunch of trailers. That's why the only two Superbowl spots featured on the Round-Up are the 'Guardians' spot and the 'Pirates of the Caribbean' spot. Guardians goes for the classic roll call, which was how the team was introduced to audiences in the first trailer for the original movie. It looks incredible - bursting through the seams with color and creative visuals, awesome characters, quotable lines and what is shaping up to be a great soundtrack (this trailer had a remixed version of The Chain by Fleetwood Mac). Guardians of the Galaxy Vol. 2 is set for a 28 April, 2017 (UK) and 4 May, 2017 (USA) release. Pirates of the Caribbean: Dead Men Tell No Tales [embed]https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=jqftOTvYYd8[/embed] Directed by the Norwegian duo Espen Sandberg and Joachim Rønning (Academy Award winner Kon-Tiki), Pirates of the Caribbean: Dead Men Tell No Tales will once again see Johnny Depp reprise his role as swashbuckling hero Jack Sparrow. When deadly ghost sailors, led by the terrifying Captain Salazer (Javier Bardem), escape from the Devil’s Triangle bent on killing every pirate at sea, Jack’s only hope of survival lies in the legendary Trident of Poseidon. The new Pirates still looks awful and the tease of an Orlando Bloom cameo/supporting role doesn't really change that. There's a new magic undead pirate on the loose, Jack has to find a new McGuffin while working alongside some generic new characters and a bunch of tired-looking old ones. Riveting stuff right there. There's just really nothing to excited about when it comes to the return of Jack Sparrow. Pirates of the Caribbean: Dead Men Tell No Tales is set for a May 26, 2017 release.