MGM has released the official trailer for its highly-anticipated project Three Thousand Years of Longing. The upcoming narrative will star Idris Elba alongside Tilda Swinton and is inspired by a collection of 1994 mythical short stories from British author AS Byatt entitled The Djinn In The Nightingale’s Eye.
Three Thousand Years of Longing comes from emblematic director George Miller, who made his directorial debut in 1979 with Mad Max. Miller's last outing seated within the director's chair came seven years ago with Mad Max: Fury Road, which became an instant box office sensation. The Tom Hardy and Charlize Theron-led narrative earned 10 total nominations at the Academy Award nominations, including Best Director and Best Picture. Miller looks to follow the success of Fury Road with this new endeavor, which stands opposite Miller's Mad Max work in several different ways.
The upcoming film will focus on Swinton, a scholar on a trip heading to a speaking engagement in Istanbul. Unsuspectingly, Swinton summons a Djinn, played by Elba, who offers three wishes in exchange for his freedom. Swinton, however, longs for nothing, making the acquisition of wishes problematic, which Elba attempts to alleviate by detailing his fantastical journey through history. Unfortunately, the temptation is what stands between Elba and his freedom, which Swinton's character will either ignore or dive into headfirst.
"What does one do with three wishes?" asks Swinton within the newly released footage, which quickly jumps from varying historical moments, showcasing the actions and fantasies of those after their wishes have been granted. Miller's direction paints a specular image of a cautionary tale that will look to explore the hidden desires rooted within its array of characters. The trailer points toward an exciting time, filled with fantastical elements accompanied by two phenomenal leading stars. Hopefully, more footage will surface as the release date approaches, peeling the proverbial curtain back even more.
Miller describes the film as a dialogue-driven narrative, which differs significantly from the action-packed spectacle of Mad Max: Fury Road, which had minimal dialogue embedded within its foundation. The film was shot entirely in Australia during the ongoing pandemic but takes place in several different areas throughout history. Audiences are brought into the courts of the Queen of Sheba and other unique historical locations before arriving back in present-day London. It'll be interesting to see what other amazing surprises the film has in store, but until then, audiences will have to patiently wait.
Three Thousand Years of Longing made its debut at the 2022 Cannes Film Festival and is included in a circle of notable narratives within the early award season discussion. Miller not only serves as director for the upcoming film but wrote the script as well alongside his daughter, screenwriter Augusta Gore. Excitement is steadily brewing for this narrative, but only time will tell if the final product can live up to expectations.
Three Thousand Years of Longing will hit theaters on August 31, 2022.
Source: MGM|YouTube