It hopefully should not be controversial to say that “Mad Max: Fury Road” is a titanic work of modern filmmaking. It may then come as a surprise that its equally iconic creator, George Miller, has not made a film since its release. Finally, seven years later, a new work from Miller is around the corner. To correlate with its premiere this month at the Cannes Film Festival, and following a teaser earlier this week, the first full trailer for “Three Thousand Years of Longing” is out.
READ MORE: George Miller Calls ‘Mad Max: Fury Road’ Prequel ‘Furiosa’ “A Saga” That Spans 15 Years
Even with the aforementioned teaser, the most notable thing about “Three Thousand Years of Longing” is next to nothing is known about it. However, in an article linked below, and worth noting for those expecting something as gonzo as “Fury Road,” lower your expectations. To quote Miller, “It’s a movie that is very strongly visual, but it’s almost the opposite of ‘Fury Road.’ It’s almost all interior and there’s a lot of conversation in it. There are action scenes, but they are by the by and I guess you could say it’s the anti-‘Mad Max.’” In addition to its R rating for “some sexual content, graphic nudity and brief violence,” something different from Miller may still lead to something special.
Here’s the official synopsis:
Dr Alithea Binnie (Tilda Swinton) is an academic, content with life and a creature of reason. While in Istanbul attending a conference, she happens to encounter a Djinn (Idris Elba) who offers her three wishes in exchange for his freedom. This presents two problems. First, she doubts that he is real and second, because she is a scholar of story and mythology, she knows all the cautionary tales of wishes gone wrong. The Djinn pleads his case by telling her fantastical stories of his past. Eventually, she is beguiled and makes a wish that surprises them both.
Adapted from the short story “The Djinn in the Nightingale’s Eye” by A.S. Byatt, and with a script co-written by Miller and Augusta Gore, “Three Thousand Years of Longing” releases in theaters on August 31st. Watch the new trailer below.