Ari Aster (a.k.a. the cinematic sad boy who gave us Hereditary and Midsommar) is back — and this time, he’s bringing small-town drama with a side of pandemic panic.
The Eddington trailer just dropped harder than your Wi-Fi in 2020, and whew, it’s star-studded enough to make the Oscars feel like a high school talent show. We’ve got Joaquin Phoenix as a sheriff with a vendetta, Pedro Pascal as a mayor with a mustache (I assume), and tensions thicker than that sourdough starter you never learned to bake.
The Plot: Chaos, but Make It Pandemic
Set in Eddington, New Mexico during the early days of May 2020 (yes, that May 2020), the film explores what happens when a sheriff and a mayor butt heads during lockdown… and somehow everyone around them starts to spiral like it’s the season finale of a very dramatic soap opera.
Neighbors turn on neighbors. Alliances are tested. Toilet paper is probably hoarded. You get it.
The Cast: Hot, Talented, and Probably Unstable
Get ready to see:
– Emma Stone giving “political wife with a YouTube apology face”
– Austin Butler, who might still be a little bit Elvis inside
– Luke Grimes, bringing the cowboy chaos
– Deirdre O’Connell, Micheal Ward, Amélie Hoeferle, Clifton Collins Jr., and William Belleau — all playing roles that will no doubt have us yelling at our screens and questioning our life choices.
Emma’s character literally says, “I’m speaking now to deny my husband’s announcement yesterday, which was false,” which is giving Real Housewives of Eddington energy, and I am here for it.
Meanwhile, Joaquin drops the very subtle, not-at-all-loaded line: “The people of Eddington like guns.” Okay then! So we’re doing social commentary but make it yeehaw.
The Aesthetic: Quarantine-core Meets Found Footage Vibes
The trailer looks like it was made entirely from clips found on someone’s pandemic-era iPhone, or maybe a group text gone very wrong. It’s glitchy, messy, and dangerously close to triggering your TikTok trauma.
Coming to Theaters: July 18, 2025
So cancel your plans (lol what plans?) and get ready for Eddington, the only movie brave enough to ask: What if 2020, but more stressful?
Watch the teaser below and start emotionally preparing now. You’re gonna need it.