'Mary Magdalene' Trailer Teases Rooney Mara in Titular Role, Joaquin Phoenix as Jesus Christ
Universal Pictures has released the international trailer for "Mary Magdalene," a Biblical film set to premiere in 2018.
The trailer itself opens with the titular character, played by Rooney Mara, looking somewhere far as the wind blows against her face. Her father says that she has "brought shame on our family," and Mary is then forced into being baptized in the water. She screams in terror and objection. Her interactions with Jesus, played by Joaquin Phoenix, are then shown.
"Your family says you grapple with the demon," Jesus says.
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"If there's a demon in me, it's always been there," Mary replies.
"There are no demons here," Jesus assures her.
The trailer shows Mary willingly following Jesus and being baptized with no reluctance. She catches the attention and indignation of many. She watches and smiles as Jesus performs a miracle, allowing a blind woman to see again While she has earned the trust of Jesus, it is clear that there is some bad blood between her and Peter, played by Chiwetel Ejiofor.
"It's not right that he has raised you up to lead us," Peter tells Mary.
Mary Magdalene is warned by Jesus' mother, Mary, that she will have to prepare for and accept his ultimate destiny. She knows she loves him, but she also knows that they will eventually lose him. Mary journeys with Jesus to Jerusalem and stays with him until the end.
The Biblical drama is sure to draw a lot of ire from different walks of life, but Mara herself may generate flak for accepting the role of Mary Magdalene. According to UPROXX, Mara previously received criticism for playing the part of Tiger Lily in 2015's "Pan." Many claimed that the character was whitewashed, and it looks like she may get the same responses this time around.
"Mary Magdalene" was initially scheduled to premiere this year. However, due to the Weinstein controversy, its release date was pushed to Easter 2018.
