Newly released footage from the first trailer for the Old Hollywood period piece Babylon, directed by Damien Chazelle, introduces viewers to the film’s diverse ensemble of people. Set against the backdrop of the transition from silent to sound filmmaking, the film provides an expansive look at the mayhem that occurs as performers, directors, and others rush to adjust to the new environment.
According to the preview, it’s an exploration of the chaotic daily routines of these artists and the city and business with which they are so intricately connected. The clip is full of energy and excitement as Robbie’s aspiring actor snorts cocaine, gets drunk, and causes mayhem with Pitt’s established actor. This is a wildly entertaining take on old Hollywood that will blow your mind. Chazelle and his actors completed filming Babylon in October 2021. One of the crew members, Bryan Mendoza, said that it was one of the more challenging projects he had worked on.
According to a recent interview with Vanity Fair, Chazelle has been sitting on the concept for around 15 years, since he relocated to Los Angeles. After wrapping up work on The First Man in 2018, he was free to devote his whole attention to the project, the purpose of which was to create a love letter to the early years of contemporary Hollywood. His subsequent success as a director with the critically acclaimed films Whiplash and La La Land has set the stage for his epic story of early Hollywood. Chazelle casts a big ensemble full of today’s A-listers to play the Hollywood A-listers of yesteryear.
Starring Olivia Wilde, Brad Pitt, Margot Robbie, Tobey Maguire, Samara Weaving, Jean Smart, Li Jun Li, Jovan Adepo, Katherine Waterston, Flea, Lukas Haas, Rory Scovel, P.J. Byrne, Spike Jonze, Chloe Fineman, Jeff Garlin, and Max Minghella, the picture has an impressive ensemble. Initially, Emma Stone was supposed to play with Pitt, but a schedule hiccup made room for Margot Robbie. With so many outsized personalities and so much ground to cover, Babylon clocks in at a hefty 3 hours and 5 minutes. Paramount’s Babylon will have a restricted release on December 25, followed by a wide release on January 6, 2023.