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Barbarian Trailer Shows Pennywise Actor Bill Skarsgard’s Return to Horror
A new trailer for the upcoming film Barbarian shows It actor Bill Skarsgard making a return to the horror genre. The film will be written and directed by Zach Cregger of The Whitest Kids U' Know fame and co-star Georgina Campbell and Justin Long, known for their work in Black Mirror and Jeepers Creepers respectively. The movie will open in theaters on August 31.
Barbarian tells the story of Tess (Campbell) who accidentally rents the same house as Keith (Skarsgard) in an odd-looking neighborhood. That night, Tess discovers an underground network of tunnels, some including rooms that imply people were kept against their will and forced to undergo behavioral therapy. Skarsgard became a staple of the modern horror genre with his performance as Pennywise the Clown in It parts one and two, both hits at the box office and well-received by horror fans.
The trailer (via 20th Century Studios) depicts the setup of the film, with scenes of Tess arriving at the house and meeting Keith in a lighter, more relaxed setting. The tone then shifts to horror as Tess is awoken in the night and discovers the underground labyrinth where she hears Keith calling for help from within. As she's attacked by him in a jump scare, a voiceover starts playing explaining a behavioral modification process where an increasingly fast sequence shows horror and action images, culminating in an image of the house during the daytime, in a neighborhood that looks strangely artificial, then one more jump scare, followed by the film's title. Watch the trailer below:
With Skarsgard's ability to convey terror with effects and makeup in It, it'll be interesting to see him try to elicit the same feelings with just his face and body, something that shouldn't be too difficult with his intriguing mug. The trailer also implies the use of forced behavioral therapy as a tool for horror, something that's been used effectively in films like 1BR and The Lodge. The trailer definitely delivers a lot of questions about how the film's scares will unfold, as any good trailer should do.
Horror remains one of the few auteur-driven genres in mainstream Hollywood, for there's always a niche demand for it, but not enough that mega studios take an interest, allowing for smaller companies and creators to leave their mark. Barbarian seems like a film small enough to garner niche interest to sell tickets. Hopefully with Skarsgard's growing reputation for his creepy performances originating from It, Barbarian will be able to deliver enough scares to please horror buffs.
