For what seems like months now, the roster of 2015 Oscar contenders has been set. We’ve got Paul Thomas Anderson’s Inherent Vice, Christopher Nolan’s Interstellar, Tim Burton’s Big Eyes, Angelina Jolie’s Unbroken, David Fincher’s Gone Girl, David Ayer’s Fury and Alejandro González Iñárritu’s Birdman all touching down in the last three months of the year, and any of them could be heavyweights on the awards circuit. But one high-profile blockbuster has been so surprisingly quiet in the past few months that we seem to have counted it out of the race altogether – I’m talking about Ridley Scott’s Exodus: Gods and Kings.
Tonight, we’ve been treated to the first trailer for the Biblical epic, which is sure to get people buzzing about whether it could stand a chance of racking up some nominations against the aforementioned line-up of seemingly strong fall hopefuls. It’s a pretty impressive first look at the movie – and considering that Exodus: Gods and Kings is coming to us from Scott, the helmer behind Gladiator and Kingdom of Heaven, no one should be surprised that this film looks like a true visual spectacle.
Christian Bale stars as the Israelite Moses, abandoned at birth and raised alongside Rhamses (Joel Edgerton), who becomes the Pharaoh of ancient Egypt. Though brothers, they’re pitted against each other as Moses is compelled to cast off the shackles of slavery and lead his fellow Israelites out from under Rhamses’ thumb. Aaron Paul, Jon Turturro, Ben Kingsley, Indira Varma and Sigourney Weaver all also show up, clad in period-appropriate dress.
The trailer certainly makes a stronger case for Exodus: Gods and Kings than the awfully PhotoShopped posters we saw earlier today, and I’ll be excited to see more footage from the epic as its December 5th release date draws closer. Whether or not Scott will strike Oscar gold with this star-studded, eye-catching venture, I couldn’t tell you, but chances are that Exodus: Gods and Kings will be another impressive addition to the talented filmmaker’s already incredible filmography.
The question is, are you planning on seeing his latest, or is the story of Moses too familiar for you to give Exodus: Gods and Kings the opportunity to dazzle you with its fresh take? Let us know below!