Hugh Jackman stars as Jean Valjean in Academy Award winning director Tom Hooper’s (The King’s Speech) Les Misérables, based on the tale by Victor Hugo. The first teaser has dropped for the film, and while we just get to chew on the beautiful imagery – set to Anne Hathaway singing “I Dreamed a Dream” – I feel reassured with its promise to be a legitimate contender in a multitude of categories come awards season.
Russell Crowe, Amanda Seyfried, Eddie Redmayne, Samantha Barks, Sacha Baron Cohen, and Helena Bonham Carter also star, and the film is set to be released on December 14th.
Check out the first trailer (and synopsis) for Les Misérables after the jump…
Les Misérables is the motion-picture adaptation of the beloved global stage sensation seen by more than 60 million people in 42 countries and in 21 languages around the globe and still breaking box-office records everywhere in its 27th year. Helmed by The King’s Speech‘s Academy Award®-winning director, Tom Hooper, the Working Title/Cameron Mackintosh production stars Hugh Jackman, Oscar® winner Russell Crowe, Anne Hathaway and Eddie Redmayne, with further casting to be announced.
Set against the backdrop of 19th-century France, Les Misérables tells an enthralling story of broken dreams and unrequited love, passion, sacrifice and redemption–a timeless testament to the survival of the human spirit. Jackman plays ex-prisoner Jean Valjean, hunted for decades by the ruthless policeman Javert (Crowe) after he breaks parole. When Valjean agrees to care for factory worker Fantine’s (Hathaway) young daughter, Cosette, their lives change forever.
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Tags: Amanda Seyfried, Anne Hathaway, Eddie Redmayne, Helena Bonham Carter, Hugh Jackman, Les Miserables, Russell Crowe, sacha baron cohen, Samantha Barks, Tom Hooper
24 Comments
I knew Anne Hathaway would likely kill it on the singing front. She sounds fantastic.
I’m curiously optimistic.
Clayton Davis(Quote) (Reply)
Compare this to the trailer for Gatsby and it looks like its contender vs. pretender.
Mark Johnson(Quote) (Reply)
Haha, well said.
Rohit Ramachandran(Quote) (Reply)
And the Oscar for Best Actress goes to ANNE HATHAWAY!
GL(Quote) (Reply)
I think hers is more of a Supporting role… so maybe the Oscar for Best Supporting Actress goes to…
Mark Johnson(Quote) (Reply)
To be honest I am not so sure. I know her role is supporting on the original play however, keep in mind, this is the Academy Awards we are talking about. When an actress of certain pedigree, and likability shows up with what is obviously, from this trailer, to be a spot on feature on the performance there is definitely a possibility she could go lead. Take for example Winslet, or even , in my opinion, last year Davis. I remember everyone saying when the film came out that she would be going for supporting, but instead as the performance started to become largely appreciated she changed to lead. Hathaway to me seems to be a darling from an Academy member’s eyes. Plus this is so baity and so their level, I would be really shocked, and I’ve been following this game for quite a while, if she went supporting.
GL(Quote) (Reply)
It could really go either way, and my guess is the studio will push where they think they have the best chance at a win…
Joey Magidson(Quote) (Reply)
it’s not that she’s just a supporting character in the play, Fantine *dies* a quarter of the way through, she doesn’t even make it to intermission – i suppose it’s possible, but it would take quite the campaign to argue for Lead.
craig146(Quote) (Reply)
All good points. For now I have her in my Supporting field, but might have to make a shift to Lead if that is where they push her. I think her odds are fairly high regardless which spot they push her for.
Mark Johnson(Quote) (Reply)
A movie made for my mom…
Jessie Makowski(Quote) (Reply)
I’m a bit impressed…time to play around with my predictions once again.
Joey Magidson(Quote) (Reply)
I’m so excited for this, and it certainly looks great. But I’m just not feeling Hathaway’s rendition here. Having seen it belted from a West End stage on more than one occasion, this just feels weak in comparison. Plus she’s SO heavily featured in this trailer, it makes it seem like the story centres around her character when it doesn’t.
Daniel Ashtiany(Quote) (Reply)
Already looks better than the kings speech. Hathaway will probably be pushed hard for supporting. And if she can carry the trailer…she may be a big contender. Still early, the movie could drag if not done right since its a pretty long show, but it may surprise. Probably not a threat to anything coming up but now it looks better than I expected.
Steve(Quote) (Reply)
Looks better than I expected but still.
John Rivera(Quote) (Reply)
I actually like that the actors are singing live. I too am a fan of the musical, but the film should be a different entity. Hathaway’s version of the song is all the more heartbreaking because you can hear the emotion and the cracks in her voice. She’s not standing on the stage belting for a 1,000 seat theater, it’s ok for her version to be a bit different.
That said, I’ll be incredibly upset if Eddie Redmayne can’t belt out “Empty Chairs at Empty Tables” or Hugh doesn’t have the upper register for Bring Him Home lol
I know people aren’t Hooper fans, but he’s well suited to period pieces and the trailer looked fantastic.
Terence Johnson(Quote) (Reply)
Sad to say that I’ve had no exposure to this story, in either its serious or musical interpretations, but I’m willing to check this out. Though it still smarts to see “Academy Award Winning Director” attached to Tom Hooper’s name, I would also say he seems well equipped for this material. Hopefully this doesn’t become this year’s “Nine.”
Josh P.(Quote) (Reply)
Nothing could be as disappointing as Nine…
Mark Johnson(Quote) (Reply)
Looks really good.
Rohit Ramachandran(Quote) (Reply)
As a big fan of The King’s Speech, I have high hopes for Hooper’s next work, and this seems to confirm them. This could make a play for some big awards.
UBourgeois(Quote) (Reply)
How epic is the cinematography looking. We knew hooper and cohen had an interesting eye for shots and composition from Kings Speech but this looks incredible.
I’m still skeptical about Hathaway’s chances as they’ve already given away her strongest moment in the show, but I’m now pretty sold that the film will be an actual contender this year and thank goodness! Better start making room for Hooper to take another Best Director slot.
Nathan James Mitchell(Quote) (Reply)
Bingo on the Cinematography.
Mark Johnson(Quote) (Reply)
Love it. Just love it! My admiration of Anne Hathaway has increased just from this trailer!
Matthew Barker(Quote) (Reply)
I remember I saw the stage production of Les Misérables with my friend and I was so moved by the the actors, songs and score. It has been 9 yrs since I first saw it and now with this first trailer can someone say, #Nominate Anne Hathaway for an Oscar. I am so excited I can’t wait for the movie to come out. I have just been listening to the Original Broadway cast of Les Misérables just to remember those beautiful songs that make me fall to my knees and cry I’m not joking some of the songs make me cry which rarely happens during musicals. Mostly I can’t wait for Hugh Jackman to give the performance of a lifetime.
Marc Honore(Quote) (Reply)
The stage version remains the single most moving experience I have had in a theater – just a stunning piece of work — the trailer looks terrific I must say and all my reservations about Jackman are gone, so far — Hathaway will rock the thing, and Crowe is a gifted actor who will knock Javert out of the park — could be the years very best…certainly promising isn’t it?
Love the idea of singing live…hate that lip synch crap….listen to the pain in Hathaway’s voice…that’s acting man…
John H. Foote(Quote) (Reply)