The first official trailer for Michael Keaton’s new movie, Knox Goes Away, has arrived and promises quite a dark and twisty thriller.
Keaton both stars in and directs Knox Goes Away. While he is best known for his acting roles in films like Beetlejuice, Batman, and Birdman, he has directed once before. He made his directorial debut in 2009 with The Merry Gentleman, but it was a tumultuous debut.
Keaton hadn’t initially intended to direct the movie but took over after Ron Lazzeretti stepped down from the role due to medical issues. Although The Merry Gentleman received relatively positive reviews, Keaton ended up facing a lawsuit from the production company, which alleged he botched the film by submitting it to Sundance late. The court ultimately ruled in Keaton’s favor, but it’s not surprising he took a hiatus from directing after the lengthy legal battle.
However, he is now returning as a director with Knox Goes Away. Here’s what we know so far about the Keaton-led film.
Knox Goes Away drops its dark first trailer
The first trailer for Knox Goes Away dropped one month before the film’s theatrical release on March 15, 2024.
The trailer sees Keaton portraying a hitman, John Knox, who is diagnosed with a rare form of dementia. As he grapples with the thought of having only weeks to live, he’s surprised by the unexpected appearance of his estranged son. His son needs his help, which leads to Knox getting involved in a murder investigation. However, the task at hand may prove too difficult, especially as Keaton finds himself questioning what’s real or not as his dementia progresses.
Starring opposite Keaton’s Knox is Academy-Award winner Al Pacino as Xavier, who appears to be Knox’s friend and partner. Meanwhile, James Marsden stars as Miles, Knox’s estranged son. The film has also tapped Joanna Kulig, Marcia Gay Harden, Ray McKinnon, Suzy Nakamura, John Hoogenakker, and Lela Loren to appear in undisclosed roles.
According to IMDb, Knox Goes Away‘s synopsis reads:
When a contract killer has a rapidly evolving form of dementia, he is offered an opportunity to redeem himself by saving the life of the adult son with whom he had been estranged.
There are a lot of movies that tackle dementia, but very few of them are crime thrillers. Keaton’s movie has a very unique premise, and one can only imagine how much more devastating the diagnosis is when the patient is a hitman involved in a high-stakes murder cover-up.
Additionally, there’s a feeling in the trailer of things not being as they seem, raising the possibility of viewers seeing the movie from Knox’s perspective and potentially feeling his sense of confusion and anxiety. Hopefully, the movie will make an effort to raise awareness for dementia, too, and not merely use it as a plot device.
(featured image: Saban Films)
Published: Feb 16, 2024 11:36 am