The first trailer for the supernatural horror movie Between Worlds releases and offers an in-depth look at Nicolas Cage's new movie. Written and directed by Maria Pulera, Between Worlds stars Cage as a despondent man named Joe who looks for meaning after the death of his wife and daughter. When he encounters Julia, portrayed by Franka Potente (The Bourne Identity), he becomes intertwined a mystic mystery as Julia’s comatose daughter comes to life via a roaming spirit.

Shot in both Sweden and Alabama, Between Worlds premiered at Fantastic Fest last month and earned positive reactions in a small sample size of reviews. Alongside the veteran performers Cage and Potente, Australian actress Penelope Mitchell (Hemlock Grove, Hellboy) stars as the possessed daughter, Billie, while noted blogger and fashion model Lydia Hearst portrays Cage’s deceased wife, Mary.

On Friday, Saban Films released Between World’s first trailer, in which a boot-wearing Joe muses about the universe and a “second chance,” communicating with a distinct style of speech. Just the opening seconds alone channel a True Detective vibe, and the trailer becomes increasingly cryptic by intercutting images from the past and present as Joe finds himself living with both Julia and what appears to be the spirit of her daughter. While the trailer’s color palette is mostly bright, there are sudden splashes of red, along with brief and violent identity swap images that suggest Between Worlds will be a potent psychological thriller like Mandy, but perhaps more aesthetically grounded. Take a look:


In 1982, Cage made his feature debut (as Nicolas Coppola) in Amy Heckerling’s coming-of-age classic Fast Times at Ridgemont High. Over the subsequent 36 years, he’s managed to consistently reinvent himself, especially in the past few years. In a time when “direct-to-video” isn’t necessarily a bad thing, Cage’s outlier approach has resulted in steady checks and the occasional hit, evidenced by Mandy’s recent critical acclaim and strong effect upon audiences.

Later this year, Cage will appear in Marvel’s Spider-Man: Into the Spider-Verse, in which he voices the character Spider-Man Noir. But that's not the only movie he's appearing in this holiday season, with Between Worlds scheduled to release on December 21. While Pulera only has one prior credit on her resume (Falsely Accused) and doesn’t have much directorial clout, Cage is fully capable of elevating small films into pop culture conversations.