DEATH OF A UNICORN: TRAILER 1
A few years ago, someone wondered what if some rich people killed a unicorn, and accidentally summoned its demonic bloodthirsty relatives. And now, we have the 1st trailer for A24’s Death Of A Unicorn. I love movies.
Elliot (Paul Rudd) is bringing his moody daughter Ridley (Jenna Ortega) to his boss’ crisis management summit in the mountains, when they suddenly hit a mysterious creature. With no time, they load it into their car and keep driving. Arriving at the summit, they meet the Leopold family (Will Poulter, Téa Leoni, Richard E. Grant), who find the creature (resembling a unicorn) and perform tests on it. They find it has all sorts of magical properties and plan to dissect it.
But little do they know, the unicorn’s relatives want their little one back, and they bring with them a demonic force that could unleash deadly consequences on this group of greedy humans. Elliot and Ridley race against the clock to escape the summit before the magical creatures make them suffer the deadly consequences in this surreal comedy-horror.
Sometimes a film rises above a Z-movie premise on the strength of its characters, and the Death Of A Unicorn trailer is a prime example. It knows it’s ridiculous, it leans into the nonsense and verges on self-parody. In most cases, it would come off feeling amateur, but the strength of the acting, the hilariously deadpan dialogue, and the gorgeous cinematography elevate this film far above standard fare.
The film’s stars put in their A-game to this Z-movie. Rudd plays beautifully against type as a concerned father, trading in his typical goofiness for a quiet jovial dignity. Ortega, officially a modern scream queen, steals the show with her sardonic deadpan demeanor, but the star of the show is Poulter, playing a trust fund kid with impeccable comedic timing.
The film’s visuals are top-notch, with sun-soaked, slow-moving cinematography reminiscent of late-stage Kubrick – and incredible effects bringing the unicorn’s demonic spirit to life without ever delving too far into campiness. Director Alex Scharfman has found the perfect balance of sheer pulpy indulgence and restraint to focus on his genuinely well written three-dimensional characters.
This trailer looks ten times better than it has a right to, and if A24 plays their cards right, Death Of A Unicorn could be yet another bizarre hit that finds mainstream adoration this spring.
Directed by Alex Scharfman, Death Of A Unicorn will release theatrically in the US in spring 2025. The movie stars an ensemble cast led by Paul Rudd, Jenna Ortega & Will Poulter.
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