There will be tears when Billy Lynn’s Long Halftime Walk hits theaters this fall. From what we can see in the new teaser trailer, released Thursday by Sony Pictures Entertainment, the Ang Lee-directed film packs serious emotional firepower, thanks in part to its cutting-edge visuals.
Based on Ben Fountain’s 2012 novel of the same name, the war drama centers on Billy Lynn (played by Joe Alwyn) after he returns from Iraq a hero. He’s sent on a victory tour with the surviving members of his squad, but returning home isn’t all fireworks and fun. Billy has to cope with multiple tough challenges, including the horrors he’s seen and what lies ahead for him.
The trailer puts Oscar-winner Lee’s latest work on display. This is his first film since 2012’s Life of Pi, but he doesn’t appear to have lost his touch and he certainly hasn’t played it safe. The film is shot in what Sony calls “Immersive Digital” — 120 frames per second in 3D at 4K resolution — and provides an unprecedented visual experience. Numerous scenes make you feel as though you’re viewing the world through Billy’s eyes, making it all the more powerful.
“I cannot describe to you the sense of stimulation and excitement and visual vividness,” special effects artist Douglas Trumbull told Variety last month. “It doesn’t look like television, it looks like a new movie medium with all the problems solved.”
In addition to its exciting new technology, the film also boasts some big names. Vin Diesel, Kristen Stewart, Steve Martin, Garrett Hedlund, and Chris Tucker all star alongside Alwyn. The film is produced by Lee, Marc Platt, Rhodri Thomas, and Stephen Cornwell, with executive producers Brian Bell, Guo Guangchang, and Ben Waisbren. Jean-Christophe Castelli penned the screenplay.
Billy Lynn’s Long Halftime Walk is set to open in theaters on Veterans’ Day, November 11.
