After Sundance bailed on providing any true awards season contenders besides John Hawkes in “The Surrogate” and an Indie Spirit Awards player in “Beasts of the Southern Wild,” the focus has shifted to la croisette and the annual Festival de Cannes next week. And while there are many potential players in the mix it still feels like we’ll be waiting for Venice, Telluride and Toronto to get a true sense of the early field. So, almost on cue (but more aptly timed to the release of “Dark Shadows” Friday), Warner Bros. has released the first trailer for Ben Affleck’s “Argo.”
Produced by George Clooney and Graham King, “Argo” tells the incredible true story of a CIA mission to get six Americans out of Iran during the heart of revolution in January, 1980. A CIA Agent posed as a Hollywood producer arriving in Tehran to scout locations for an epic period film titled – “Argo.” The idea was to disguise the six Americans, who were hiding in the Canadian Embassy – as scouts and have them leave the country under the new identities.
Affleck has once again recruited a strong cast for the picture including Bryan Cranston, Alan Arkin, John Goodman, Kyle Chandler, Victor Garber, Kyle Chandler and Clea DuVall. The film currently has an Oct. 12 release date which puts it right in the bullseye for the beginning of awards season. Moreover, the film is likely a lock for at least a Toronto Film Festival debut (and considering the Canadian connection to the story you should put money down on it). And, happily, the new trailer previews a film that’s as compelling as the true story. It has fun with the Hollywood angle, but doesn’t diminish how serious the overall mission was. It’s also nice to see fan favorite Cranston get some serious screen time.
You can watch the trailer on Apple’s Trailer page or embedded below.
“Argo” opens nationwide on Oct. 12.
What do you think of the trailer? Does “Argo” seem like a real awards season player or just another solid Affleck thriller? Share your thoughts below.