Behind every tradition lies a revolution. Next Independence Day, witness the rise of our country's 12 hours of annual lawlessness.  Welcome to the movement that began as a simple experiment: The First Purge. Today, we have the official poster, trailer and a couple of images from this harrowing deep dive into true American history and the anarchy behind it.

To push the crime rate below one percent for the rest of the year, the New Founding Fathers of America (NFFA) test a sociological theory that vents aggression for one night in one isolated community.  But when the violence of oppressors meets the rage of the marginalized, the contagion will explode from the trial-city borders and spread across the nation.

Coming off the most successful film in the series, The Purge: Election Year, creator James DeMonaco (writer/director of The Purge, The Purge: Anarchy and The Purge: Election Year) returns alongside the producers of this worldwide phenomenon: Blumhouse Productions' Jason Blum (Insidious series, Get Out, Split), Platinum Dunes partners Michael Bay, Brad Fuller and Andrew Form (Teenage Mutant Ninja Turtles and Ouija series, The Texas Chainsaw Massacre), and DeMonaco's longtime production partner, Sébastien K. Lemercier (Assault on Precinct 13, Four Lovers). 

The First Purge is directed by Gerard McMurray (Burning Sands), working from a screenplay once again written by DeMonaco. The first rate cast include Y'Lan Noel, Lex Scott Davis, Joivan Wade, Luna Lauren Velez and Marisa Tomei in what may be the role of her lifetime.

"What makes America great? The answer is simple, really, Americans make America great. You are the lifeblood of the nation. Your rights as Americans must be safeguarded. There's only one solution to keep our country great. A new tradition. Participate today, and it will make you prouder than when your boy looks up at you and says, 'Dad, I want to Purge, too!'"

To push the crime rate below one percent for the rest of the year, the New Founding Fathers of America (NFFA) test a sociological theory that vents aggression for one night in one isolated community. But when the violence of oppressors meets the rage of the marginalized, the contagion will explode from the trial-city borders and spread across the nation.

The Purge franchise has become one of the most profitable movie series' to date, capitalizing on micro-budget productions that reap big rewards. 2014's The Purge took in $64.4 million domestic and $89.3 million worldwide, from just a $3 million budget, while the 2015 follow-up took in $71.9 million domestically and $111.9 million worldwide from a $9 million budget. Last year's The Purge: Election Year took in $79.2 million domestically and $118.5 million worldwide from a $10 million budget. Y'lan Noel is best known for playing Daniel King in Insecure, with this movie marking his first major studio project. and Lex Scott Davis got her big break by playing recording artist Toni Braxton in the 2016 TV movie biopic Toni Braxton: Unbreak My Heart, which she followed up with by playing Alyse Craig on CBS' Training Day.

Take a look at the first trailer courtesy of Universal Pictures along with the stirring new poster and a few new photos. America will never be the same again. And it's sure to be one of the best horror movies of 2018.

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The First Purge Poster