No one makes horror or thrillers like Guillermo del Toro, which is once again abundantly clear in the first trailer for his latest film, Nightmare Alley, which stars Bradley Cooper and Cate Blanchett in an apparent psychological horror that looks like it’s going to be as visually stunning and bone-chilling as most of del Toro’s previous work.
Del Toro loves playing with the genre of horror, blending in different elements while jumping into styles of horror that aren’t really seen anymore, and Nightmare Alley looks no different in its trailer. In the film Cooper plays a carney and conman who is great at getting people to do what he likes. However, when he meets a psychiatrist (Cate Blanchett) who is even more dangerous than him, things begin spiraling out of control. Don’t be fooled by the narration’s hints at a terrible beast; this lines up to be more psychological thriller with hints of noir than a scary monster movie. That’s not to say there won’t be a monster, but as with his past films, del Toro is sure to blend his themes.
The rest of the cast for the film is fantastic as well and includes Toni Collette, Willem Dafoe, Richard Jenkin, Rooney Mara, Ron Perlman (Hellboy reunion!), and David Stratham all looking decidedly creepy in a carnival that simply drips with visual style. This is del Toro’s first film since his Oscar-winning effort The Shape of Water (aside from episodes of Trollhunters), and it looks to catapult the director back into the Oscar discussion this year.
Nightmare Alley will release on December 17, 2021 in theaters.
