Damien Chazelle is returning to the world of music following his break-out hit Whiplash. His Ryan Gosling and Emma Stone-led La La Land, which will world premiere as the opener of the Venice Film Festival, has been given its first stunning trailer. Set in Los Angeles, it follows a jazz pianist (Gosling) who falls for an aspiring actress (Stone).
As we can seen in the dialogue-free preview, featuring a song from the film, sparks will fly for the pair who previously exhibited strong onscreen chemistry in Gangster Squad and Crazy, Stupid, Love. The cast is rounded out by Whiplash scene-stealer J.K. Simmons, John Legend, Finn Wittrock, Sonoya Mizuno, and Rosemarie DeWitt.
“La La Land is a surprising tribute to the golden age of American musicals, from An American in Paris by Vincent Minnelli to New York, New York by Martin Scorsese,” Venice festival director Alberto Barbera previously said. “It is a film that does not merely reinvent the musical genre, it gives it a brand new start. If Whiplash was the revelation of a new filmmaker, La La Land is his definitive, albeit precocious, consecration among the great directors of Hollywood’s new firmament.”
Check out the trailer as well as a poster below. The single featured in the film, “City of Stars,” can also be picked up on iTunes.
Written and directed by Academy Award® nominee Damien Chazelle, LA LA LAND tells the story of Mia [Emma Stone], an aspiring actress, and Sebastian [Ryan Gosling], a dedicated jazz musician, who are struggling to make ends meet in a city known for crushing hopes and breaking hearts. Set in modern day Los Angeles, this original musical about everyday life explores the joy and pain of pursuing your dreams.
La La Land hits theaters on December 2nd and will expand wide on December 16th.