Hollywood Gears Up To Tell Another Story About Itself In Star-Powered Babylon Trailer
The daring and bold first full trailer for "Babylon" recruits an all-star cast fitting for the glittery days of early Hollywood cinema. Writer and director Damien Chazelle returns to the city of stars with an astounding array of talent including Brad Pitt, Jean Smart, Margot Robbie, Diego Calva, Tobey Maguire, Li Jun Li, and Samara Weaving. This riotous tease promises another unforgettable theatrical experience and a formidable contender for the 2023 Academy Awards.
Damien Chazelle became a household name after the infamous 2017 Oscars mixup with "La La Land" and Barry Jenkins' "Moonlight." In 2018, Chazelle reunited with Ryan Gosling to soar through the atmosphere in the Neil Armstrong adventure biopic "First Man." Now the acclaimed filmmaker returns to tell another dazzling tale, this time about the earliest days of Hollywood production.
Chazelle's musical mastery pairs exceptionally well with the glitzy background and outrageous sequences that even mirror 2016's "La La Land." As business and pleasure mix in the sunny hills of Los Angeles, a pool party with beautiful star-studded clients ensues in both films. This highlights that some things may never change from the 1920's glamorous origins that are dripping in excess and witnessed in the stunning new trailer for "Babylon."
Babylon chronicles the chaotic origins of Hollywood stardom
Margot Robbie and Diego Calva star as Nellie LaRoy and Manny Torres, respectively, two wildly ambitious performers seeking their life-changing Hollywood beginnings. They stumble across Brad Pitt's Jack Conrad, who aims to help the duo achieve their dreams with sinister plans of his own. As Hollywood glamor and extreme wealth create God complexes across the shining hills, these wide-eyed dreamers soon find themselves in far more than they bargained for. The outlandish celebrations quickly turn condemnable as a push for morals becomes the central focus of the new unachievable Hollywood standard. Naturally, this results in chaos erupting across the city. In this early extended look, LaRoy and Torres seem to be the perfect vessels to witness this insane debauchery while simultaneously being swept up in its irresistible temptations.
"Babylon" even references classic Hollywood cinema through Maguire's staggering transformation as a Charlie Chaplin-esque figure with excessive face paint to highlight his exaggerated expressions. This pairs exceedingly well with depictions of on-set starlet feuds, retired stars, and Pitt's dramatic fall into the pool evoking the classic 1950s Hollywood reflexive film "Sunset Boulevard." These details are key to Chazelle's style, which creates an authentic and fully fleshed-out setting.
While "Babylon" was originally supposed to be released in 2021, the film recently had its release date moved up from early January 2023. This may bode well for the explosive Hollywood drama, which will now hit theaters just in time for the holidays on December 23 (via The Hollywood Reporter).