‘Child 44’ Trailer: Tom Hardy Chases a Serial Killer

The ‘Child 44’ trailer confirms something that has been a long time coming: 2015 is going to be the year of Tom Hardy. Sure, he’s been steadily rising through the ranks of Hollywood stardom for nearly a decade now, but he has five films coming out within the next 12 months, playing everything from post-apocalyptic action heroes to 19th century American cowboys. In the case of ‘Child 44,’ he’s taking on the role of a military police officer in the Soviet Union during the 1950s who finds himself embroiled in the hunt for a prolific child murderer.

Although we’ve seen enough serial killer dramas to fill a lifetime or two, the unique time and setting of ‘Child 44’ has already piqued our interest. Plus, this gives Hardy another chance to try out a thick accent, which has only led to sheer greatness in the past. Bane voice in the streets, ‘Locke’ voice in the sheets, y’all.

Anyway, ‘Child 44’ is the next film from Daniel Espinosa, who made the totally competent and slightly forgettable ‘Safe House’ a few years back. His filmography may not be enough to get us really excited about this film, but his taste in actors certainly is. Hardy is backed up by Gary Oldman (hopefully playing the father of his ‘Air Force One’ villain), Noomi Rapace, Jason Clarke, Charles Dance, Vincent Cassel, Paddy Considine, and Joel Kinnaman, which is as strong a smorgasbord of talent as anything else we’re bound to see all year. That’s the kind of ensemble that can elevate even a mediocre mystery into something worth watching.

Hopefully, the screenplay and Espinosa won’t let that cast down. Here’s the official synopsis:

A politically-charged serial killer thriller set in 1953 Soviet Russia, CHILD 44 chronicles the crisis of conscience for secret police agent Leo Demidov (Tom Hardy), who loses status, power and home when he refuses to denounce his own wife, Raisa (Noomi Rapace), as a traitor. Exiled from Moscow to a grim provincial outpost, Leo and Raisa join forces with General Mikhail Nesterov (Gary Oldman) to track down a serial killer who preys on young boys. Their quest for justice threatens a system-wide cover-up enforced by Leo’s psychopathic rival Vasili (Joel Kinnaman), who insists “There is no crime in Paradise.”

‘Child 44’ is set to open on April 17.