Directing duo Anthony and Joe Russo have shared a never-before-seen clip from their upcoming film starring Tom Holland as the eponymous Cherry. The Russo Brothers got their start directing comedies such as You, Me, and Dupree starring Owen Wilson, and rose in notoriety while directing four Marvel films, including the highest-grossing film of all time, Avengers: Endgame. Holland is best-known for playing Spider-Man in the Marvel Cinematic Universe and appeared in three of the Russos' films.
Holland stars once again in the Russo Brothers' latest film, Cherry, in which he plays a troubled young man who goes from an awkward college student to a desperate bank robber over the course of 15 years. Based on the novel by Nico Walker which was itself inspired by the author's life, Cherry follows its eponymous lead through a harrowing time in the military and a descent into addiction during the opioid epidemic. Five posters for the film illustrate the stages of Cherry's life, identifying him variously as a student, lover, soldier, junkie, and thief.
The Russo Brothers have released a first-look clip on their Twitter in which Cherry enlists in the military. The minute-long sequence sees a heartbroken Cherry looking for a "sense of purpose" after his girlfriend breaks up with him. An eager army recruiter recognizes his vulnerability and capitalizes on his listlessness to get him sworn in within a day. Cherry speaks in hindsight, contextualizing the scene as it plays out. Watch for yourself below:
With a trailer nowhere in sight for the film, which is set to release February 26 on Apple TV+, the clip tells us quite a lot about the style of Cherry. Evidently inspired by the novel as a retrospective on Walker's life, the voiceover will likely be used throughout the film, helping to provide a narrative thread over so many years. The Russo Brothers have characterized Cherry as episodic in nature, incorporating different genres to match each period in Cherry's life. The disenfranchised young man is plucked up from a drab, painfully realistic world in the clip, but the brothers hint at magical realism, horror, and absurdism characterizing other parts of the film.
Since branching out from the MCU, the Russo Brothers have lined up a number of projects. Within the larger Disney umbrella, the brothers are producing a live-action remake of the Disney classic Hercules, evidently in line with their superhero prowess. The Russos are also set to direct a modern version of A Christmas Carol, bringing the story of a miserable miser made generous by the spirits of the season to the big screen once again. Cherry marks a departure for the Russo Brothers, dramatizing real-life societal issues, an experience that will serve them well venturing beyond the MCU.
Source: Russo Brothers via Twitter