Many, including ourselves, tipped the latest film from Ben Wheatley, “A Field In England,” to pop up somewhere in the Cannes line-up. After all, his reputation’s been growing since his first two pictures “Down Terrace” and “Kill List,” and “Sightseers” was on the Croisette last year. The film didn’t appear in the line-up, but in a way, it didn’t need to, because it already has its own plans; rolling out back in the UK in an unprecedented multi-format release that will see it hit cinemas on the same day that it’s released on DVD & Blu-Ray, airs on VOD, and even screens on the free Film4 channel.
To get you ready for that, and for the film’s U.S. release which will come later in the year courtesy of Drafthouse Films, the first trailer for the film has arrived, along with a poster. Following a group of deserters during the English Civil War, who are captured by an alchemist (Michael Smiley of “Kill List”), who wants them to help him search for hidden treasure in a mushroom field. Smiley is joined by British comics Julian Barratt and Reece Shearsmith, but this looks less obviously comedic than “Sightseers” and more obviously out-there.
But it’s still clearly the work of Wheatley, and that alone would have us excited, even if the trailer doesn’t look fantastic. The film gets its big UK bow on July 5th and will hit U.S. theaters later in the year; meanwhile, you can watch the trailer below, along with a new UK quad poster, and still see “Sightseers” in theaters and on VOD right now. It’s bloody amazing.