First premiering at the Toronto International Film Festival last fall, Papillon is now slated for a theatrical release later this summer, and the first trailer has arrived. A remake of the 1973 film of the same title (which itself was based on the autobiographical novel by the French writer Henri Charrière) Papillon depicts the real-life experience of Charrière, played by Charlie Hunnam (who recently gave a career-best performance in The Lost City of Z), as he teams up with unlikely partner Louis Dega, played by Rami Malek, in attempt to escape prison after being put there for a murder he didn’t commit.
Directed by Michael Noer (Northwest) and scripted by Aaron Guzikowski (Contraband, Prisoners), the film boasts action-crime genre veterans at the helm. The trailer teases the expected abrasive action along with promising a strong duo between Hunnam and Malek, which will likely be elevated with Guzikowski’s intimate character work. These elements are all tied together with an aura often found in psychological thrillers.
Check out the trailer below and read Jared Mobarak’s review from TIFF, in which he called it an improvement upon the original film.
Papillon will be in theaters on August 24th, courtesy of Bleecker Street.