What Is The Song In The Red Rocket Trailer?
The film world was buzzing after the premiere of Simon Baker's "Red Rocket" at the Cannes Film Festival in July, and soon, everyone will be able to watch the critically acclaimed dramedy when it hits theaters in December. The upcoming feature comes from the mind of "The Florida Project" director Sean Baker and stars actor, comedian, and rapper Simon Rex as a former adult film star trying to make a fresh start when he returns to his Texas hometown. The first trailer for "Red Rocket" was released online Tuesday morning, and it reveals a lot more about the new A24 film.
The trailer starts with Mikey (Rex) on a bus to the Gulf Coast of Texas, a place he once said he would "never set foot" again. He receives a chilly welcome from his estranged wife (Bree Elrod), and, in his hope for a fresh start, Mikey finds that things may be a bit more complicated than he originally expected. A series of awkward job interviews, a self-aggrandizing monologue during a car ride with a friend, and a meet-cute at the local donut shop all help to establish where Mikey's life is headed now that he's home. Then, at the one-minute mark, the trailer begins to play a ballad sung by a female vocalist, and for those with a keen ear, the tune may sound oddly familiar.
The Red Rocket trailer uses a nostalgic NSYNC hit to tease a wild ride
It doesn't take long for the song in the "Red Rocket" trailer to reveal what song we're hearing. The slow-tempo ballad that plays over a portion of the trailer switches to the original version — and it's instantly recognizable. As Mikey (Simon Rex) gets punched in a parking lot, the NSYNC hit song "Bye Bye Bye" kicks into high gear. Released in 2000, the single came from the boy band's third album, "No Strings Attached," with an appropriately stylized music video that created one of the most memorable choreography moves of the decade (via Entertainment Weekly). More than 20 years later, the song remains in the public consciousness through online memes and various pop culture references in film and TV. The most recent and perfect example: In a late Season 2 episode of "Ted Lasso," the titular soccer coach attempts to teach the choreography from the music video to his team.
For the curious, the cover portion of the song is performed by Suzanna Son, who plays Strawberry in the film (via IMDb). While "Red Rocket" is her first acting gig, Son is also a singer and songwriter. She often shares her musical talent on Instagram, and her first music video was released on YouTube in 2018.