A24 unveiled the full trailer for Eddington, the latest genre-bending film from Ari Aster, and it’s packed with tension, political bite, and a heavyweight cast. Joaquin Phoenix and Pedro Pascal lead the film as two opposing forces in a small New Mexico town, with Micheal Ward, Emma Stone, Austin Butler, Luke Grimes, Deirdre O’Connell, Amélie Hoeferle, Clifton Collins Jr., and William Belleau rounding out the ensemble.
Set to hit theaters on July 18, Eddington is already making noise following its divisive premiere at the 2025 Cannes Film Festival, where it earned a nearly seven-minute standing ovation.
What’s Eddington About?
Set during May 2020, the story unfolds in the fictional desert town of Eddington, New Mexico, as tensions explode between a local sheriff (Phoenix) and the town’s sitting mayor (Pascal). What begins as a political standoff spirals into chaos as the town fractures—neighbor against neighbor—against the backdrop of COVID lockdowns, rising conspiracy theories, and nationwide unrest following the murder of George Floyd.
Expect six-foot distancing, digital paranoia, explosions, shootouts, and even a private jet circling the sky with mysterious intent. This is a Western, yes—but with a sharp, satirical lens on America’s most recent reckoning.
Behind the Scenes
This marks Aster’s fourth feature film, following Hereditary, Midsommar, and Beau Is Afraid. He reunites here with Phoenix, and also serves as a producer alongside Lars Knudsen under their Square Peg banner. The film is financed and distributed by A24.
At Cannes, Eddington stirred up conversation—not just for its subject matter but for how fearlessly it tackles America’s post-2020 fracture. Deadline called it “a slice of history we’ve yet to see properly shown on film.” Variety praised its ambition as “a brazenly provocative Western thriller.”
During the festival’s press conference, Pascal was asked whether the film’s charged politics made him nervous. His response:
“Fear is the way that they win… Keep telling the stories. Keep expressing yourself. F*ck the people that try to make you scared.”
Eddington releases July 18 in theaters via A24.