QUARANTINE

Pedro Pascal and Joaquin Phoenix Take On Covid Conspiracies in New Film ‘Eddington’

Think global pandemic, but make it “A24.”

Get ready for some cinematic PTSD.

A24 just dropped the first trailer for Eddington, a black comedy set in the small town of Eddington, New Mexico, during the height of the COVID-19 pandemic. After a fight breaks out between the town’s Sheriff (Joaquin Phoenix) and mayor (Pedro Pascal), Eddington residents find themselves drawn into the conflict; neighbors turn against neighbors, sparking a town-wide division they may never recover from.

“If you value your life, you should think twice, because the people of Eddington like guns,” the Sheriff says in the trailer.

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It seems like maybe the people of Eddington are a little too gun-happy (very American of them), as later in the trailer, a CNN headline appears on the screen that reads: “‘Law and Order Sheriff’ Assaults Protestor in Town Rocked by Murders.”

Given the polarizing nature of the subject matter, people are already joking about how much discourse this film will drum up.

“I expect nothing but calm and rational discussions about this movie going forward,” one YouTube commenter wrote.

Another person agreed, writing: “Nothing but cool-headed, chill, and mutually-respecting conversation indeed.”

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Directed by Ari Aster, the director behind A24 horror hits like Hereditary and Midsommar, the film stars Pascal, Phoenix, Emma Stone, Luke Grimes, Austin Butler, Deirdre O’Connell, and Michael Ward.

Set to hit theatres on Jul. 18, Eddington is sure to give everyone trauma flashbacks from their own experiences during the pandemic.

Clare DonaldsonEditorial Intern

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