Lionsgate has released the first trailer for their upcoming World War II epic, Midway. As the title indicates, this will be documenting one of the most important battles of the war, and one that helped turn the tide following the devastating events of Pearl Harbor. This comes from the mind of Roland Emmerich, the man best known for bringing us Independence Day in the 90s. But it's been a long time since he's delivered a hit like that. Is it possible this can be the thing that turns the tide for his career again as well?
Like other Roland Emmerich movies, this trailer presents us with something that is going to be absolutely loaded down with CGI-heavy action. It kicks off with the battle of Pearl Harbor and how the U.S. dealt with the aftermath. We see a lot of Patrick Wilson's character, who is clearly dealing with the failure of that on the intelligence side. It all looks very big and slick. Almost the polar opposite of something like Christopher Nolan's Dunkirk. Whether or not that's good or bad will depend on one's personal sensibilities as a moviegoer.
The movie comes loaded down with starpower. The cast includes Ed Skrein, Luke Evans, Aaron Eckhart, Nick Jonas, Etsushi Toyokawa, Tadanobu Asano, Luke Kleintank, Jun Kunimura, Darren Criss, Keean Johnson, Alexander Ludwig, Mandy Moore, Dennis Quaid and Woody Harrelson. This is the first movie Roland Emmerich has directed since the disastrous Independence Day: Resurgence. In a recent interview with USA Today, the filmmaker explained what we can expect from his latest.
"It shows an America that's not the superpower, a country that just came out of a big recession and tried to stay out of a war but got sucked into it. It was a simpler time, but it also was a time where you had to put your life in danger for ideals."
Midway centers on the infamous and important Battle of Midway. The 1942 conflict between the American fleet and the Imperial Japanese Navy marked a pivotal turning point in WWII, specifically in what was known as the Pacific Theater. The movie, which is based on the real-life events of this heroic feat, tells the tale of the leaders and soldiers who used their instincts, fortitude and bravery to overcome overwhelming odds. Wes Tooke (Colony) penned the screenplay.
This particular battle was previously dramatized on screen in director Jack Smight's 1976 Midway, which starred Henry Fonda. That particular movie was met with a mixed response upon its arrival. Lionsgate can't afford another box office flop and this is certainly an expensive blockbuster. They need this to connect with audiences and that's something Roland Emmerich hasn't managed to do for the better part of a decade. Midway is set to arrive in theaters on November 8. Be sure to check out the trailer for yourself from the Lionsgate Movies YouTube channel.
