A new trailer for First Man, the upcoming Neil Armstrong biopic, has been released. The film sees Oscar-winning director Damien Chazelle reunite with his La La Land leading man Ryan Gosling, making First Man one of the most anticipated films of the fall. On-paper, it has all the ingredients of being an awards contender this year, and distributor Universal appears to be quite confident in its prospects. First Man will have its world premiere at the Venice Film Festival, following a similar gameplay as La La Land.
The general public got their first look at what Chazelle has in store back in June, when the first theatrical preview was released. Now, with the festival tour on the horizon and the theatrical premiere just a couple months away (as of this writing), Universal is keen on kicking off the next wave of marketing. Today, they unveiled a new trailer, which you can watch in the space below:
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Though most viewers are probably aware of Armstrong's story, First Man is noteworthy for portraying the very real dangers of the Apollo 11 mission. At the time, NASA had never attempted to send someone to the moon, and it proved to be a very rigorous ordeal that tested the mettle of those involved. In a way, sections of First Man could be reminiscent of Chazelle's Whiplash, in regards to Armstrong's striving for absolute perfection in his profession. The footage here balances the intensity of Neil's work days (and numerous failed tests) with the emotion of his home life, cutting to scenes of him laughing with his wife Janet (played by Claire Foy) and young children. The possibility of Neil not returning from his trip is raised, with Janet frequently expressing concern for her husband's wellbeing.
With both Whiplash and La La Land earning widespread acclaim (including Best Picture nominations for both), Chazelle has set a very high bar for himself early in his career. He's already the youngest Best Director winner in history, suggesting there's really nowhere left for him to go. But based on First Man, Chazelle seems to have outdone himself, painting on a large canvas with a fittingly epic scope. Chazelle was attached to direct even before La La Land went on its record-tying awards run, so this is a story he's been interested in telling for a while. Hopefully that passion comes across in the final product, as the trailers are very promising.
It'll be interesting to see how First Man fares on the awards circuit, but it certainly seems like one of the leading contenders for now. In addition to the film (and perhaps Chazelle for directing), Gosling could also be a threat in the Best Actor race. Over the past few years, he's strung together top-notch performances in highly acclaimed films, perhaps building up to a win. The Academy loves a good biopic, and First Man seems to have all the ingredients.
MORE: New First Man Photo Sends Ryan Gosling to Space
Source: Universal
