‘Cuckoo’ Trailer: Dan Stevens Is Getting Kooky

The marketing for Longlegs gave us a serious case of the creeps, but that’s not the only new horror movie Neon is releasing this year. The studio has finally revealed a full trailer for Cuckoo, the upcoming film starring Euphoria‘s Hunter Schafer.

Neon has finally revealed the full trailer for Cuckoo, which debuted in theaters last week. Dan Stevens is definitely up to something kooky at this resort in the Alps, where Schafer’s Gretchen goes to live with her dad and his new family.

The trailer gives us a slightly better look at the “woman” chasing Gretchen, a clear nod to Dressed to Kill, the 1980 thriller directed by Brian De Palma that remains a problematic cult fave.

Kudos to the marketing folks handling Neon’s horror releases because the first teaser for Cuckoo was also effectively creepy:

In the teaser we see Schafer walking out of a building at night, nervously fidgeting as a voice on a speaker system says, “… giving you the chance to be of great use in our quest for preservation.” That old-timey voice belongs to Cuckoo co-star Dan Stevens, reminiscent of the deranged utopian ramblings of Andrew Ryan in BioShock.

Directed by Tilman Singer (Luz), Cuckoo follows Gretchen (Schafer), who goes to live with her dad and his new family in the German Alps. The idyllic setting seems to be hiding something sinister, and Gretchen is concerned about her father’s boss Mr. König (Stevens) and his preoccupation with her half-sister. The film also stars Jessica Henwick (The Royal Hotel) and Marton Csokas (The Equalizer).

Here’s the official synopsis for Cuckoo:

Reluctantly, 17-year-old Gretchen leaves her American home to live with her father, who has just moved into a resort in the German Alps with his new family. Arriving at their future residence, they are greeted by Mr. König, her father’s boss, who takes an inexplicable interest in Gretchen’s mute half-sister Alma. Something doesn’t seem right in this tranquil vacation paradise. Gretchen is plagued by strange noises and bloody visions until she discovers a shocking secret that also concerns her own family. 

Following his festival sensation LUZ, German director Tilman Singer has once again succeeded in creating an atmospheric and visually outstanding horror trip with an original plot and perfidious twists. The film, shot on 35 mm, features EUPHORIA’s star Hunter Schafer alongside a brilliant and terrifying Dan Stevens.

Cuckoo hits theaters on August 9.

(featured image: Neon)