Ana de Armas, Sydney Sweeney, and Vanessa Kirby face their biggest threat yet in a new trailer for Eden. Directed by Ron Howard, a two-time Oscar-winner for A Beautiful Mind, the upcoming survival thriller is based on the true story of a group of disillusioned outsiders who relocate to a remote island and quickly realize that their greatest threat isn’t nature, but each other.

Its star-studded cast includes two-time Oscar nominee Jude Law (The Talented Mr. Ripley, Cold Mountain), Oscar nominee Ana de Armas (Blonde), Oscar nominee Vanessa Kirby (Pieces of a Woman), two-time Emmy nominee Sydney Sweeney (Euphoria, The White Lotus), Daniel Brühl, Felix Kammerer, Toby Wallace, Richard Roxburgh, and Jonathan тιтtel.

Now, Vertical has released an official full-length trailer for Eden. It begins in 1929 as Dr. Friedrich Ritter (Jude Law) and his wife Dora Strauch (Vanessa Kirby) leave Germany, disillusioned with modern civilization and in pursuit of a fresh start. They settle on the remote and uninhabited island of Floreana in the Galápagos in Ecuador.

Soon, they are joined by fellow settlers Margret (Sydney Sweeney) and her husband Heinz Wittmer (Daniel Brühl), along with Eloise Bosquet de Wagner Wehrhorn (Ana de Armas), a self-proclaimed Baroness and the “embodiment of perfection,” accompanied by her two fiercely loyal lovers. Their dream of creating a utopia quickly deteriorates as the harsh realities of island life set in.

Yet the most dangerous threat they face isn’t the severe weather, wild animals, or lack of basic comforts, but the growing conflict among themselves. Tensions mount, paranoia festers, and a ᴅᴇᴀᴅly power struggle erupts, ultimately resulting in betrayal, violence, and several deaths. Watch the trailer below:

What The Eden Trailer Means For The Movie

Premiered at the Toronto International Film Festival back in September 2024, the survival thriller has sparked divisive reactions from critics. For instance, in ScreenRant‘s Eden review, Mae Abdulbaki writes, “I loved to hate Ana de Armas in Ron Howard’s completely unhinged thriller… If all Eden set out to do was to show us the drivel of humanity and how quickly they can turn on each other, then it accomplished its goal.”

Critics are incredibly divided on Eden, with some praising its bold direction, dark tone, and Ana de Armas’ performance, while others find it unfocused, uneven, and lacking the depth that its premise promises. The Eden trailer highlights the positives, with critics calling it “a thriller from top to bottom” and “a carnival of manipulation and violence.”

Our Take On The Eden Trailer

On the one hand, the Eden trailer looks promising, featuring several scenes of primal violence and seductive encounters that will hopefully provide a provocative exploration of human nature. However, it’s difficult to ignore the negative reviews, especially since Ron Howard has been hit or miss lately. Eden looks like it will be at least an entertaining watch, even if it doesn’t quite reach the heights of great cinema.

Eden releases in theaters on August 22.

Source: Vertical