In the shadow of Lincoln's birthday, Twentieth Century Fox unleashed the first trailer for Abraham Lincoln: Vampire Hunter which displayed some stunning production value, teased some jaw-dropping action set pieces, and some seriously splintering 3D graphics. And now we've got the fantasy-injected historical thriller's international trailer, which not only offers plenty of ax-wielding action, but also some grandiose dialogue to better explain the strange tale's storyline:
Based on the novel by Seth Grahame-Smith, Abraham Lincoln: Vampire Hunter re-imagines Lincoln's rise to the presidency and eventual assassination as the headlines that hid a darker and far more elusive story. Benjamin Walker stars as Lincoln, a self-educated young man who finds his true calling in the world of politicking by day and slaying vampires by night. Timur Bekmambetov directs.
While this trailer boasts Bekmambetov's helming of the high-octane action flick Wanted, horror fans know the Kazakhstani director best for his chilling and thrilling Russian vampire tales Night Watch and Day Watch. From the looks of Abraham Lincoln: Vampire Hunter's trailers, these moody movies are the more relevant inspiration, as Lincoln seems to share their slick action sensibilities and cool color-scheme punctuated by vibrant and dangerous oranges and reds. And if you haven't seen the first two films in the in-progress Watch trilogy, let me assure you this is a very good indication that Lincoln will be more than mindless gore and lame jump scares.
When word first hit that Seth Grahame-Smith's historical fiction/fantasy novel mash-up was getting a movie adaptation, I admittedly groaned, as I'd found the book version of Abraham Lincoln: Vampire Hunter to be a promising concept but an utterly dull read. However, these trailers with their striking cinematography, air of wild fun, and go for broke fight choreography have totally turned me around on this vampire venture. Simply put, it's shaping up to look like something worth sinking my teeth into.
Abraham Lincoln: Vampire Hunter opens June 22nd.
