The Tragedy Of Macbeth Trailer: Denzel Washington And Frances McDormand Scheme Their Way Through A Shakespeare Classic

The ire of superstitious theatre kids and the sworn enemy of high school English classes everywhere, William Shakespeare's "Macbeth" has been interpreted in every way imaginable, including a fan-favorite episode of "The Simpsons." Now, Academy Award-winning director Joel Coen has tackled the tragic behemoth with "The Tragedy of Macbeth." In his second feature directorial effort without the assistance of his brother Ethan, the highly stylized thriller tells a tale of "murder, madness, ambition, and wrathful cunning."

The plot of "The Tragedy of Macbeth" is exactly as it should be, but for those that purged everything they learned during the years when they had curfews, it's about a celebrated Scottish general named Macbeth (Denzel Washington) who learns of a prophecy from a trio of witches that he will become the King of Scotland. Having the foresight of his fate completely changes his behavior, leading him and his wife Lady Macbeth (Frances McDormand) down a path of madness, betrayal, and cold-blooded murder. Shot beautifully in black and white, "The Tragedy of Macbeth" successfully turns Shakespeare into a bonafide psychological horror show. "Something wicked this way comes," indeed.

"I think a very important thing about Joel's adaptation is that we are not calling it Macbeth," McDormand said in a previous interview. "We're calling it 'The Tragedy of Macbeth,' which I think is an important distinction." It's clear from the trailer that "The Tragedy of Macbeth" is shot differently than most Shakespeare adaptations, reveling in theatrical simplicity in order to pack the most power. The bold juxtaposition of lighting, costuming, and set design overwhelms the screen with stark contrasts and stunning silhouettes. /Film's Hoai-Tran Bui keenly noted in her review that the film resembled both "German expressionism and seedy noirs," two styles of film that greatly enhance the classic story of temptation that inspires unrelenting atrocities. Denzel Washington and Frances McDormand are already considered front-runners for this year's Oscars, with many considering Washington's performance a career-best.

This is the latest Apple Original film, made in conjunction with A24 and IAC Films. Denzel Washington and Frances McDormand are joined by a phenomenal cast including Bertie Carvel, Alex Hassell, Corey Hawkins, Harry Melling, and Brendan Gleeson. Coen, McDormand, and Robert Graf serve as producers, with breathtaking cinematography from Bruno Delbonnel ("Amélie," "Inside Llewyn Davis," "The Ballad of Buster Scruggs"). The film's music comes from Carter Burwell ("Fargo," "No Country for Old Men," "The Ballad of Buster Scruggs"), costumes by Mary Zophres ("True Grit," "La La Land"), editing by Lucian Johnston ("Hereditary," "Midsommar") and Reginald Jaynes ("No Country for Old Men," "Inside Llewyn Davis"), and production design by Stefan Dechant ("Avatar," "Jarhead").

"The Tragedy of Macbeth" will be available for exclusive streaming on Apple TV+ on January 14, 2022.