Home Movies

New TV Spot For Hijack Thriller Captain Phillips Debuts

The broadcast of the Breaking Bad finale episode was guaranteed to bring in an audience of millions, so it was no surprise to see movie studios pushing their big, upcoming titles – notably Captain Phillips.

captain_phillips_movie-600x350
The broadcast of the Breaking Bad finale episode was guaranteed to bring in an audience of millions, so it was no surprise to see movie studios pushing their big, upcoming titles – notably Captain Phillips.

Recommended Videos

With this extended two minute trailer, Paul Greengrass’ latest thriller looks set to be an intense and nerve-wracking experience, as it recounts the 2009 hijacking of the MV Maersk Alabama by Somali pirates. The incident was the first hijacking of a US cargo ship in 200 years, and was detailed in Captain Richard Phillips’ own book, A Captain’s Duty: Somali Pirates, Navy SEALS and Dangerous Days at Sea – upon which this film is based.


Tom Hanks fills the role of Captain Phillips, facing off with newcomer Barkhad Abdi as Pirate Captain Muse, and their first terrifying encounter forms the first half of this trailer. Quickly developing into a kidnapping nightmare, as Phillips is bundled into a lifeboat and off his ship, this preview proceeds to turn up the tension with quick cuts of panicked crew members, Navy SEALS and violent pirates.

One element hinted at in the trailer, is Captain Phillips’ relationship with his crew. Speaking at the New York Film Festival, Paul Greengrass explained:

“One of the issues in this film is that Richard Phillips was in command of a crew of some 25 men, who also went through this experience…What we tried to convey was not to forget the crew and the role that they played, both each as individuals, and also the leading role that a number of those crew members played in the unfolding events. One thing I’m most proud of in this film is that you get a real sense of that crew moving together as one.”

Having screened at the New York Film Festival on September 27th, 2013 to positive reviews, Captain Phillips has been selected to open the BFI London Film Festival with a gala presentation on October 9th, 2013.

The film will be released nationwide in the US on October 11th, and in the UK on October 18th, 2013.