The first trailer for “Those Who Wish Me Dead” showcases Jolie taking in the actor’s chair alongside Nicholas Hoult, Jon Bernthal, Finn Little, Tyler Perry, and Aidan Gillen. Directed by Taylor Sheridan, writer of ‘Sicario’ and creator of ‘Yellowstone’.
It’s been a long time since Angelina Jolie had acted in a drama. If she’s not out producing Oscar-worthy films, she’s out proving that a star can also portray characters in blockbuster franchises, and lend their voices in animated sequels. She’s also been divesting from her estranged husband for nearly five years now, and so perhaps it’s time we see her play strong-willed characters once more.
Based on a book by Michael Koryta, who co-writes the screenplay with Charles Leavitt and Taylor Sheridan, Those Who Wish Me Dead is yet another film from Warner Bros’ whose future of screening in cinemas is uncertain, so perhaps we may find ourselves streaming this on HBO Max or HBO Go app instead. Taylor Sheridan directs, and for those of you who are unfamiliar with his work, he penned the screenplay for Sicario and created the television series Yellowstone. As seen in the trailer, his body of work resonates the seriousness of the film’s themes.
Those Who Wish Me Dead’s synopsis is this: A twelve-year old murder witness is plunged into a new life with new identity when he finds himself being stalked and nearly assassinated by two men in suits. Traumatized and fearing for his life, he meets Hannah (Jolie) a smoke jumper still reeling from the loss of three lives she failed to save from a fire. In this Entertainment Weekly exclusive, Jolie met with real-life firefighters who were onset to help monitor the actual wildfire scenes in the film. When asked about Sheridan’s work, “He has a unique voice when it comes to characters within America, which had not been a prior focus of my work,” Jolie tells EW. “I wanted to be in this world with him.”
The trailer also gives us insight into twin assassins whose name in the book is called The Blackwell brothers, played by Nicholas Hoult and Aidan Gillen.
This is Taylor Sheridan’s debut since his 2017 Oscar-nominated “Wind River”. Those Who Wish Me Dead is shot by Ben Richardson, production designer Neil Spisak and costume designer Kari Perkins, and Sheridan’s “Yellowstone” editor Chad Galster and composer Brian Tyler.
Warner Bros. will release “Those Who Wish Me Dead” possibly on HBO Max/ HBO Go starting May 14. Watch the official trailer below.
