A teaser for Kathryn Bigelow's film Detroit is here, ahead of the movie's full trailer arriving tomorrow. Bigelow and Detroit screenwriter Mark Boal previously tackled the Iraq War with The Hurt Locker and the hunt for Osama Bin Laden with Zero Dark Thirty. The result: 14 total Oscar nominations and 7 wins, 6 of those statues being awarded to The Hurt Locker including one for Best Picture, one or Bigelow for Best Director (making her the first woman to win that award) and one for Boal for Best Original Screenplay.
Detroit sees Bigelow and Boal teaming up again for another sure-to-be-suspenseful drama of historical significance. Their upcoming film takes audiences back to 1967 and deals with a police raid in the titular city - one that leads to one of U.S. history's most infamous and destructive riots.
The first Detroit trailer arrives tomorrow, as confirmed by the above teaser - itself, released online by the film's producer, Megan Ellison. The teaser quickly sets the tone for the trailer to come, via such elements as the sound of a pounding heart and a newscaster's voice - painting a grim picture of the clash between U.S. Army Paratroopers, National Guardsmen, snipers and several ordinary citizens. There's only a little bit of actual footage from Detroit near the end of the preview, in the form of two quick images showing rioters and police reacting to gunshots.
The real riots that inspired the film began on July 23rd, 1967 after the police raided an unlicensed bar in Detroit's Near West Side. Things escalated to the point where the governor was forced to call in the National Guard, and president Lyndon Johnson was compelled to also send in the 82nd and 101st Airborne Divisions. By the time it was all over, 43 people were dead, nearly 1,200 were injured and more than 2,000 buildings had been destroyed.
Though the movie deals with a famous incident in Detroit, it was actually largely shot in the Boston area. John Boyega headlines a cast which includes Game of Thrones actress Hannah Murray, The Office actor John Krasinski and Avengers star Anthony Mackie. Details about how the movie specifically tackles its explosive subject-matter are being kept under wraps - but with Bigelow at the helm, it's a fair bet that there will be some very strong and suspenseful action, well-executed character drama, as well as plenty of well-researched historical details and solid performances.
Given Bigelow and Boal's track record, plus the relevance of the subject matter, expect Detroit to get plenty of awards buzz after its theatrical release on August 4th, 2017.
Source: Megan Ellison/Annapurna Pictures