The first trailer for Spencer has arrived, showcasing Kristen Stewart in the role of Princess Diana.
Spencer is directed by Jackie helmer Pablo Larrain and penned by Peaky Blinders' Steven Knight. It focuses on Diana over the course of Christmas 1991 which she spends with the royal family at the Sandringham estate in Norfolk. It's here that she decides to leave Prince Charles (Jack Farthing) due to his suspected infidelities, with the movie exploring her anguish over their imminent split.
The teaser, which clocks in at a brief 1:09, establishes the tone and atmosphere of Larrain's movie without spoiling any major moments of Stewart in the title role. She's a dead ringer for the Princess, however, as we watch her run through the royal palaces, across their immaculately-tended lawns of their vast estates, only uttering a single sentence.
But the mood is captured; Diana's struggles with the paparazzi, the pressures on her to perform, are written all over Stewart's face. Designed to pluck compassion, this teaser evokes similar feelings to Larrain's Jackie Kennedy biopic, also focusing on a woman struggling with the weight of her public role.
Prior to the teaser's release, expectations for the movie were already high. Based on yesterday's extended look at footage, a scene of Diana and Charles arguing that dropped exclusively at CinemaCon, Stewart's performance is accruing plenty of Oscar buzz with audiences. EW's Lauren Huff commented, saying: "I sense an Oscar nod in her future", while Insider's Jason Guerrasio said: "Kristen Stewart is going all out for that Oscar glory."
Timothy Spall, Sean Harris, and Sally Hawkins co-star in unknown roles, but we catch two glimpses of Hawkins here. The first time she and Stewart hug, with the last shot a close-up of the pair on a beach, “They know everything” says Hawkins. “They don’t,” Stewart calmly replies.
Spencer is scheduled to premiere at the Venice Film Festival on September 3, before it moves to the Toronto Film Festival on September 15th. The movie will have its UK and US theatrical release on November 5, but until then, keep your cinema schedule up-to-date by checking our list of the best upcoming movies of 2021 and beyond.
