The Tragedy Of Macbeth Teaser Shows Off Its Gorgeous Cinematography

Something wicked this way ... knocks.

For the first time in their well-traveled and consistently critically acclaimed careers, the dynamic Coen Brothers duo has been broken up. Filmmaker Joel Coen is headed out entirely on his own with "The Tragedy of Macbeth," having written and directed this latest Shakespeare adaptation without the assistance of sibling and longtime creative partner, Ethan Coen. As disappointing as that might be to many of us who've enjoyed their collaborations over the years, Joel Coen's solo directorial effort here doesn't appear to lack any of his signature confidence or eye for arresting visuals. A24 has released a new teaser for the upcoming movie, letting the striking compositions, harsh lighting, and picturesque sets do all the talking as we take a trip through Macbeth's tortured inner thoughts. Check it out below.

The symbolism and surrealism is strong with this latest teaser, especially with that metronome-like knocking sound effect. A sudden and unexpected knocking at the door signals an ominous and visceral point-of-no-return at a crucial moment in the original play (for those who haven't done their English Lit homework recently), which is used to evocative effect in this very short amount of footage. Compare this to the first trailer for "The Tragedy of Macbeth," which effectively repurposes many of the most famous bits of iconography from the classic story and similarly sets it all against the backdrop of that same incessant knocking. Though some might be craving more glimpses at extended footage from the film, this minimalistic approach feels like the best possible way to market another big-screen adaptation of a play that everyone is at least vaguely familiar with by now. Like David Lowery's "The Green Knight," another recent retelling of a classic morality tale, the team behind "The Tragedy of Macbeth" seem to be embracing a "Less is more" strategy that will hopefully reward patient viewers looking to dig into some ambiguity and heightened, non-literal storytelling.

"The Tragedy of Macbeth" stars Denzel Washington as the eponymous literary "hero" and Frances McDormand as his clever and manipulating Lady. McDormand has spoken up about their casting in the past, saying that joining this film at this specific point in both of their lives as older, more established actors "...puts a very specific time pressure on the characters, but also on the storytelling, which I think is the real brilliance of the adaptation that Joel has done. There's a real suspense... The time is running out not only for the characters, but also it propels the storytelling."

You can read /Film's review for "The Tragedy of Macbeth" here. In the meantime, the film opens in theaters on December 25, 2021 ahead of its arrival on Apple TV+ on January 14, 2022.