Amidst the cacophony surrounding the upcoming 2024 US Presidential election next week, it is understandable if some recent trailers have gone unnoticed. However, I am here to provide you with a summary of some of the most noteworthy releases.
This week's trailers featured a teaser for the second season of Netflix's Squid Game, a new horror film set in a haunted house directed by Steven Soderbergh, and a preview of Star Wars: Skeleton Crew. Additionally, Daniel Craig made an appearance in a trailer for a new A24 film titled Queer.
Squid Game season 2
Squid Game is set to make its much-anticipated return for a second season shortly. In a recently released teaser, Lee Jung-jae’s character, Gi-hun, appears to be gearing up for a rebellion. Regardless of the unfolding events, it seems that the upcoming season will feature a gruesome and violent resurgence of the dystopian competition, premiering on December 26th.
Star Wars: Skeleton Crew
I am thrilled to learn that Jude Law's inaugural appearance in the Star Wars franchise, titled Star Wars: Skeleton Crew, is fundamentally a swashbuckling pirate adventure. The atmosphere it conveys seems to be a delightful fusion of The Goonies and Star Trek: Prodigy, and I am eagerly anticipating its release. The series is set to premiere on December 3rd on Disney Plus.
Presence
The atmospheric trailer for Steven Soderbergh’s horror film Presence, set in a haunted house, refrains from revealing the supernatural entity that haunts Lucy Liu and her suburban family. This choice is intentional, as the narrative unfolds from the viewpoint of the ghost, a detail I only grasped after reading Variety’s analysis of the trailer. The initial viewing was already unsettling, but this insight significantly heightened the eeriness during my second watch. The film is scheduled for release in theaters on January 24th.
Queer
Luca Guadagnino's film Queer, adapted from William Burroughs' semi-autobiographical novel of the same title, features Daniel Craig in the role of William Lee, an American expatriate residing in Mexico City during the 1950s. He becomes romantically involved with a younger man named Eugene, portrayed by Drew Starkey. Following its screenings at the Venice Film Festival, the film has received acclaim for Craig's performance and Guadagnino's distinctive and surreal directorial style. Queer is set to be released on November 27th.
Xenoblade Chronicles X
Nintendo has once again refrained from disclosing information regarding the successor to the Switch during a series of announcements this week. These announcements featured the unexpected introduction of a new music streaming application dedicated solely to Nintendo songs, the launch of Animal Crossing: Pocket Camp as a paid application, and a remastered version of Xenoblade Chronicles X, a 2015 action RPG developed by Monolith Soft. This remastered game is set to be released on March 20th, 2025, for the Nintendo Switch.
Mario & Luigi: Brothership
Mario & Luigi: Brothership unveiled a new trailer this week, featuring an engaging sea shanty that has been resonating in my mind throughout the day. The newest installment in the Mario & Luigi RPG series embarks the brothers on a maritime journey, further establishing the Switch as a remarkable Nintendo console for Mario RPG titles. The game is set to be released on November 7th.