Michael Fassebender stars in screenwriter Aaron Sorkin and director Danny Boyle's biopic Steve Jobs, arriving October 2015; however, that's not the actor's only buzzed-about film release of the impending Fall season. Fassebnder will also play the namesake of the upcoming Macbeth, a cinematic adaptation of William Shakespeare's play that was directed by Justin Kurzel (The Snowtown Murders).

Kurzel's Macbeth has already picked up its fair share of critical applause, after having toured the film festival circuit earlier in 2015. The Weinstein Company's official U.S. trailer for the movie - which you can watch above - takes advantage of that by incorporating enthusiastic critic review excerpts into the mix, alongside footage that showcases the dramatic performances and striking visuals (from True Detective season one cinematographer Adam Arkapaw) that earned Macbeth its top marks in the first place.

Macbeth (2015), as adapted for the big screen by playwright Michael Lesslie as well as screenwriting duo Jacob Koskoff and Todd Louiso (The Marc Pease Experience), re-tells the classic story of Macbeth (Fassbender), the Duke of Scotland - a celebrated warrior who turns to murder in order to become King, after he encounters a trio of witches who (by way of prophecy) claim that he will indeed wear the crown. Oscar-winner Marion Cotillard costars as Lady Macbeth, who prompts her husband to fulfill his 'destiny' - a decision that sets the pair of them on a dark and disturbing path.

Rounding out the Macbeth cast are such names as Elizabeth Debicki (The Great Gatsby (2013), The Man from U.N.C.L.E.) as Lady Macduff, Sean Harris (Prometheus, Mission: Impossible - Rogue Nation) as Macduff, David Thewlis (Harry Potter, The Theory of Everything) as King Duncan, Paddy Considine (The World's End, Child 44) as Banquo, and also Jack Reynor (Transformers: Age of Extinction, Jungle Book: Origins) as Malcolm.

Kurzel's Macbeth is not just the rare film adaptation of Shakespeare's play that was actually shot in Scotland, it's also an unusual movie adaptation of the play in that it blends elements of a historical war tale (one clearly made in the post-300 age, judging by trailer footage of the movie's battle scenes) along with the royal court drama/ intrigue that has often been the main focus of Macbeth adaptations past. Fassbender has named Akira Kurosawa's Macbeth re-imagining Throne of Blood as his favorite take on the story, so it's fitting that his and Kurzel's adaptation takes extra steps to make the tale truly cinematic, in terms of style and atmosphere (like Kurosawa did).

Production is about to get started on the Assassin's Creed movie starring Fassbender and directed by Kurzel (based on a script co-written by Lesslie), and their Macbeth adaptation should pull double-duty - offering film buffs what looks to be a memorable take on The Bard's play, while also providing video game fans with more reason to be hopeful about the aforementioned Ubisoft sci-fi/historical adventure game-based project. Sounds like a good deal, yes?

Macbeth opens in select U.S. theaters on December 4th, 2015.

Source: The Weinstein Company