“I never wanted to make movies just for me. I want to make movies that people watch,” director Jeff Nichols recently told Wired, and people are certainly finding his pictures. The filmmaker’s first trio of acclaimed indie films — "Shotgun Stories," "Take Shelter," and "Mud" — not only put him on the map, but with each successive effort found him earning a larger and larger audience. And the movies laid the groundwork for his biggest effort yet and debut studio picture, Warner Bros.‘ "Midnight Special." And today we’ve got three exclusive TV spots that tease the unique cinematic experience Nichols has put together.
Starring Joel Edgerton, Adam Driver, Kirsten Dunst, Michael Shannon, Jaeden Lieberher and Sam Shepard, the film tells the story of Alton, a young boy whose extraordinary gifts find him viewed as a messiah by some, and a threat by others, all while his father and family aim to protect him. Here’s the official synopsis:
Roy (Michael Shannon) is a father desperate to protect his uniquely gifted, eight-year-old son in this genre-defying thriller which proves once again that director Jeff Nichols is one of the most compelling storytellers of our time. As father and son go on the run, an intense chase ensues as they are hunted down by a mysterious cult and a clandestine government agency – the outcome of which could bring about a world-changing event.
Catching the film at its World Premiere at the Berlin Film Festival, Jessica Kiang called it "spare, intelligent and compelling." "Midnight Special" opens on March 18th and will screen at SXSW. Watch the TV spots below.
