The real-life presidential campaign looks like something out of a movie, so should it come as any surprise that it has inspired one? The summer sequel The Purge: Election Year has been directly influenced by the two presidential front runners Donald Trump and Hillary Rodham Clinton. Taking place in the near future, this latest installment of the popular franchise is a political conspiracy thriller that is decidedly different from the previous two entries.

The movie revolves around a fictional presidential campaign, pitting rivals against each other played by Elizabeth Mitchell and Kyle Secor. The main difference between their campaigns is that Elizabeth Mitchell's Charlene 'Charlie' Roan wants to end the annual Purge holiday that allows criminals to roam free and commit whatever acts they want, including murder, during a 24 hour grace period. PEuTVyuu5InZyA||Kyle Secor} wants to keep the holiday in place.

Elizabeth Mitchell is targeted for assassination on Purge night, and is forced to go on the run with Frank Grillo's Sarge, who returns after being introduced in the second installment The Purge: Anarchy in 2014. Writer and director James DeMonaco penned the screenplay back in 2014, when the first sequel was hitting theaters. At the time, it wasn't clear who the real-life presidential frontrunners would be. But he was clairvoyant enough to curb a few traits from the two leading the race at this point in time. About that, he explains.

"Maybe, subconsciously, I knew who was in the playing field. Little things drip into you when you're writing or you're on set, you're grabbing from the ether or what's out there in the press. I think there's a lot of representation of everyone who's in the game right now, from Donald Trump to Hillary Clinton to Bernie Sanders to John Kasich. I'd like the audience to play with it and see who they feel is representative of the actual candidates in the real world, without me saying who's who. I think the audience will have a lot of fun saying, 'Oh, that reminds me of something Donald said!'"

Expanding the universe introduced in the hit franchise that electrified the culture and earned $200 million at the worldwide box office, Universal Pictures' The Purge: Election Year reveals the next terrifying chapter that occurs over 12 hours of annual lawlessness sanctioned by the New Founders of America to keep this country great. The first trailer has dropped for this latest chapter in the saga. And it looks like another blockbuster smash hit for Universal and Blumhouse.

It's been two years since Leo Barnes (Frank Grillo) stopped himself from a regrettable act of revenge on Purge Night. Now serving as head of security for Senator Charlie Roan (Elizabeth Mitchell), his mission is to protect her in a run for president and survive the annual ritual that targets the poor and innocent. But when a betrayal forces them onto the streets of D.C. on the one night when no help is available, they must stay alive until dawn...or both be sacrificed for their sins against the state.

Once again returning to collaborate with franchise creator James DeMonaco on The Purge: Election Year are the series' producers: Blumhouse Productions' Jason Blum (Insidious and Ouija series, The Visit), Platinum Dunes partners Michael Bay, Brad Fuller and Andrew Form (Teenage Mutant Ninja Turtles and Ouija series, The Texas Chainsaw Massacre), and writer/director DeMonaco's longtime production partner, Sébastien K. Lemercier (Assault on Precinct 13, Four Lovers). The Purge: Election Year is set to hit theaters on July 1, making it a very special 4th of July weekend at the movies this year. You can take a look at The Purge: Election Year with the first trailer and TV spot that were released earlier this year.