A blonde Kristen Stewart and company fight for their lives in the new trailer for Fox's Underwater. The film follows a crew of researchers who have to find a way to survive after their underwater laboratory is devastated by an earthquake. Unfortunately, something much more vicious has woken up below the earth's surface, and they are trapped with it.
Underwater stars Kristen Stewart (American Ultra), Jessica Henwick (Iron Fist), T.J. Miller (Deadpool), and Vincent Cassel (Jason Bourne) with William Eubank in the director's chair. Eubank's previous directorial works include science fiction dramas The Signal and Love.
The action thriller follows Norah Price (Stewart), a member of an underwater research crew. When their subterranean lab is destroyed by an earthquake, they're left with few options. They're losing oxygen, their machinery doesn't work, and they're 5,000 miles from land. In the trailer, they decide to walk across the bottom of the ocean to the next station in what T.J. Miller declares is the "worst idea ever." They soon discover they are not alone. Whatever monster the earthquake released is following them and picking them off.
The film needs to deliver on the content and the thrills because it's fighting an uphill marketing battle. Some of the film's stars have struggled in the media. T.J. Miller's name has been in the news a lot lately. He was arrested for making a fake bomb threat and is facing allegations of sexual assault. Both incidents have cost him roles. The creator of the popular HBO show, Silicon Valley and Miller have stated the decision behind his sudden departure from the series was mutual, but rumors have been swirling about his behavior on set. Miller voiced a character in the first two How to Train Your Dragon films, but his role in the third installment was recast.
Underwater also offers a chance for its female leads. After the poor response to Iron Fist, Henwick has the chance to burst onto the big screen in a big way. Stewart is most known for the leading role in the Twilight franchise, but like her former co-star, she's been trying to distance herself from the polarizing Young Adult adaptation by featuring in edgy, lower budget films. She'll next appear in the Elizabeth Banks helmed Charlie's Angels reboot.
Things are looking good for Underwater because Disney is showing confidence in the project. Despite their recent announcement that many of Fox's projects are getting axed, Underwater remains. Many films weren't so lucky. The studio behind Star Wars, Marvel, Pixar and more finalized their acquisition of 20th Century Fox with some major landscape changes, including a sweep of many of the projects in development. Both Mouse Guard and On the Come Up have been thrown out. Even completed films weren't safe. New Mutants has once again been delayed, and its future remains in question.
Meanwhile, Disney has announced that it will be moving forward with the Planet of the Apes and Avatar franchises as it refocuses its new Fox properties. We'll have to wait and see if Underwater can pull itself up when it hits theaters on January 10, 2020. You can check out the trailer at 20 Century Fox.
