From Judas and the Black Messiah to The Devil All the Time, See This Week's Trailers and Posters

It’s impressive how the entertainment world manages to keep its finger on society’s pulse and tells stories that reflect the culture in such a timely manner. We saw four stories this week that speak to the racial injustice plaguing the Western world. Each story takes a different narrative approach, but each is a story that needs to be told.

We also met many wild characters this week, from the backwoods personalities in The Devil All the Time to the eccentric family in I’m Thinking of Ending Things. There was also an island filled with mysterious folk, pole dancers, and the many loveable roles of Robin Williams. This week had so much character that we even saw the return of two classics. That’s right, AC Slater and Jessie Spano are back in the halls of Bayside—and we’re so excited (and a little scared). 

Lots of fantastic work to check out this week. Here are some of the latest trailers and posters.     

Judas and the Black Messiah

Warner Bros. Pictures    
Trailer Agency: Open Road         

The trailer for Judas and the Black Messiah is powerful, intense, and speaks volumes to the current social climate. The film details the assassination of Black Panther Party chairman Fred Hampton, and how the cops formulated his betrayal. The editing of this piece is exceptional, building up the intensity cut by cut and with frequent fades to black. The score and sound design establish a profound tone for the piece. Judas and the Black Messiah is coming in 2021.

The Third Day

HBO    
Trailer Agency: BOND    

The trailer for The Third Day is hauntingly beautiful, much like the mysterious island where the story takes place. The visuals, omniscient music, and graphics that draw you in like a lingering force work together to create an eerie and mystical story. The Third Day premieres Sept. 14.

Small Axe

Prime Video    
Trailer Agency: Mark Woollen & Associates

Small Axe, an anthology series from Steve McQueen, follows the trials and tribulations of Black pride and resilience in Britain. The trailer is compelling in tone and spirit. It’s also a series that captures the rising indignities of racial injustice that still plague our society today. The combination of the monologue and music distinctively elevates the spirit of the piece. Small Axe is coming soon.

Robin’s Wish

Vertical Entertainment
Trailer Agency: Aspect
Poster Agency: The Robot Eye

Robin Williams was an extraordinary being, and while his death broke hearts around the world, the illness brewing inside of him has seen little discussion until now. A new documentary, Robin’s Wish, takes a closer look at his degenerative illness and the stoicism of this ingenious man. The trailer is moving, concocts nostalgia, and brings light to a fallen star. Most spectacular are the dazzling graphics. The poster is also quite mesmerizing. The photography, color scheme, and reflective accents stir the image of an exceptional artist. See Robin’s Wish on Sept. 1.

Woke

Hulu    
Trailer Agency: Wild Card Creative Group    
Poster Agency: N/A    

The trailer for the Hulu series Woke spins another timely story into brilliant satire. After an African American cartoonist is wrongfully assaulted by the cops, he becomes “woke” to the racial injustices through cartoons coming to life. The trailer is witty and keeps you chuckling, but it also rocks you with the reality of racial discrimination. It also has phenomenal graphics that make the screen pop with color. Check out the eye-catching poster design, too, which is supremely fitting for a cartoonist’s tale. Woke begins Sept. 9.

Zola

A24 
Trailer Agency: GrandSon    

Spurred from a real-life Twitter exchange, Zola tells the story of a waitress who embarks on a road trip with a sex worker. Together, they see how many strip clubs they can dance at in 48 hours. The teaser’s dreamlike music, typography and graphics are all used cleverly to speak to the zeitgeist of our social media-obsessed culture. Zola is coming soon.

I’m Thinking of Ending Things

Netflix    
Trailer Agency: Mark Woollen & Associates    
Poster Agency: Midnight Marauder    

From writer/director Charlie Kaufman comes the existential story I’m Thinking of Ending Things, which is based on the book by Iain Reid. The story follows a young woman who travels with her boyfriend to meet his family and gets trapped on their farm during a snowstorm. The trailer is mind-bending and visually stunning. The voiceover carries the narrative, but the imagery’s sequence draws out the surrealist nature of the film. The various techniques work together to create a marketing piece that will leave you in awe and anticipation. Check out the poster design as well. The color palette and the way the image fades into it are fascinating, while the photography and facial expressions convey the film’s uncertainty. See I’m Thinking of Ending Things on Sept. 4.

Saved by the Bell

Peacock
Trailer Agency: Buddha Jones    

Class is back in session at Bayside High, and AC Slater and Jessie Spano are here for it! The revival will focus on a new class of students, but based on the trailer, some adolescent stories are timeless. The trailer is fun, fast and fitted for the next-gen, while still managing to be nostalgic for the rest of us. Saved by the Bell is coming soon.

The Good Lord Bird

Showtime    
Trailer Agency: Ultrabland    
Poster Agency: BOND    

The story of abolitionist John Brown is coming to Showtime, and the trailer looks like a wild and enlightening adventure. What I like most about the well-edited trailer are the credit graphics throughout. They’re bold, scene-stealing, and creatively introduce the characters, giving each an infamous feel. I absolutely adore the poster design. The vibrant yellow, the striking type, the profile shots, the smoking gun, and the bird on the end of the pistol provide incredible imagery that works together to catch your eye and tell the story of these daring characters. The Good Lord Bird premieres Oct. 4.

The Devil All the Time

Netflix
Trailer Agency: Buddha Jones
Poster Agency: N/A

The Devil All the Time takes us to the backwoods of Knockemstiff, Ohio, where a young man is pitted against a slew of evil characters whom he must fight to overcome. The trailer is dark and sinister but does a delightful job of introducing us to the story’s many characters. And speaking of, check out the poster, which is an artful take on the traditional character poster, giving life to each through the title treatment. See The Devil All the Time on Sept. 16.