The First Trailer for David Lowery’s ‘A Ghost Story’ Is Like Nothing You’ve Ever Seen
There’s really nothing like David Lowery’s new film. A Ghost Story isn’t the typical haunted house tale we’re used to. But Lowery’s transcendent, meditative film captures the haunting realization of how fleeting our time in this world is. The film was hailed as one of the best out of Sundance this year (you can read our review here), which makes today’s debut of the first trailer all the more exciting.
Now before we dive in, I will say that A Ghost Story is a movie best experienced totally cold. If you want to see it with fresh eyes, maybe skip the trailer above and marvel at the gorgeous new poster below. But if you’re too impatient, the new trailer doesn’t spoil much, and excludes some of the film’s most surprising and memorable scenes. The film stars Casey Affleck as a recently deceased unnamed man who lingers through time as a ghost. Rooney Mara is his grieving former lover, and a handful of other people float in and out of the movie as the nameless man in the sheet (yes, Affleck literally wears a sheet for 90 percent of the movie) hovers across space and time. Here’s the full synopsis:
With A Ghost Story, acclaimed director David Lowery (Ain’t Them Bodies Saints, Pete’s Dragon) returns with a singular exploration of legacy, loss, and the essential human longing for meaning and connection. Recently deceased, a white-sheeted ghost (Academy Award-winner Casey Affleck) returns to his suburban home to console his bereft wife (Academy Award-nominee Rooney Mara), only to find that in his spectral state he has become unstuck in time, forced to watch passively as the life he knew and the woman he loves slowly slip away. Increasingly unmoored, the ghost embarks on a cosmic journey through memory and history, confronting life’s ineffable questions and the enormity of existence. An unforgettable meditation on love and grief, A Ghost Story emerges ecstatic and surreal—a wholly-unique experience that lingers long after the credits roll.
The trailer does a great job of capturing the fluid and mysterious nature of the film, which was an actual mystery during production. Lowery secretly shot the movie on a limited budget with his Ain’t Them Bodies Saints stars last summer in Texas. It’s pretty incredible that Lowery managed to squeeze in a project as unique and magnificent as this while also directing Disney's live-action Pete's Dragon (which is also great). He’s one of the most exciting directors working right now, and you’re certainly in for a treat when A Ghost Story hits theaters on July 7.