Looking back at 2011 (yes, already), there are a set of films that have a recurring theme of impending doom and emotional terror. Sasha Stone has recently published a great piece on the matter at Awards Daily, discussing films like Martha Marcy May Marlene, Melancholia and Margin Call. There is another one that tackles it head on: Jeff Nichols‘ Take Shelter starring Michael Shannon and Jessica Chastain. Wasting no time, the Austin-based director has already shot his next film, titled Mud.
We have the first official look today (above) from Empire. Featuring Matthew McConaughey, Reese Witherspoon and The Tree of Life‘s Tye Sheridan, the film follows “a dangerous yet charismatic fugitive named Mud” on the run from “some very serious bounty hunters,” and how he’s helped by two fourteen-year-old boys living near the Mississippi River. Nichols recently shared the style is “kind of like if Sam Peckinpah directed a short story by Mark Twain.”
It is nice to see McConaughey get what looks to be a meaty role, especially following in the steps of Shannon. He also had the fun crime drama Lincoln Lawyer this year and will be seen in two very promising films next year, Steven Soderbergh‘s Magic Mike and Lee Daniels‘ Precious follow-up, The Paperboy.
Also starring Sam Shepard, Sarah Paulson, Ray McKinnon, Joe Don Baker, and Paul Sparks, expect Mud to hit theaters next year.
What do you think about this first look? Are you looking forward to Mud?