The first trailer for Warcraft director Duncan Jones’ stylistic, neo-Berlin movie, Mute, is here. It can be watched above.
Mute is the fourth feature film Jones has directed, following 2016’s Warcraft, 2011’s Source Code and the critically acclaimed 2009 movie Moon. Of all his movies, Mute seems to have the most in common with Source Code, a thriller with stunning cinematography that combined human drama with plenty of action sequences.
Netflix released earlier photos of the film that teased a world akin to some of the most popular, dystopian-set anime that many fans will recall, like Ghost in the Shell and Akira. It’s evident Jones took inspiration from those films, alongside popular sci-fi movies like Blade Runner.
Jones said on Twitter that he started working on an early draft for the film in the early ‘00s, adding that it was supposed to be his first movie. Actor Sam Rockwell was into the movie, but wanted to play Leo, and Jones didn’t think it would be a great fit. Wanting to work with the actor, he wrote Moon specifically for Rockwell and cast the actor in the lead role. Jones said he got more busy with work, but never stopped wanting to make Mute. When Netflix approached him about the project, he couldn’t say no.
A synopsis of Mute can be read below:
Set in Berlin in the near future, this thriller revolves around mute bartender Leo (Alexander Skarsgård). When his girlfriend Naadirah (Seyneb Saleh) goes missing, he dives deep into the city’s seedy underbelly to find her.
Mute will debut on Netflix on Feb. 23.
