A24’s summer lineup is looking to be stacked beyond belief. Ari Aster’s follow-up to Hereditary, Midsommar, is easily one of the most anticipated horror films of the year and it has just received its first official trailer. Aster described the film as “Scandinavian folk horror” and an “apocalyptic breakup movie”. Our first look at the film looks to ultimately prove those statements to be extremely accurate.
Midsommar stars Florence Pugh and Jack Reynor as the couple who begrudgingly attend a summer festival in Sweden where things inevitably go awry. All throughout the trailer, there are moments of macabre imagery and cult-like behavior drenched in this bright retreat-like environment. The extremely sunlit visuals are very subversive from what typical horror is generally accustomed to being like, yet that signature unsettling feeling is still very much present.
The visuals may be contrasting to Hereditary, but the tone is still nonetheless terrifying and engaging. Comparisons to the 1973 Wicker Man are readily apparent, but Aster’s knack for creating an intense immersive experience with very little sets him apart and makes his work wholly unique. One of the signature aspects of Hereditary was the distinct layer of dread that permeated throughout the entire film and it’s probable the he’ll incorporate that exact same feeling this time around.
Midsommar is set to release in theaters on July 3. Watch the official trailer below.
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