Summit Entertainment has dropped the first trailer for thriller Child 44. Directed by Safe House helmer Daniel Espinosa, the film promises to expose the gritty workings of a serial killer in Soviet Russia during the fifties. A period piece AND a hunt-the-killer flick? Color us intrigued.
A star-studded event, Child 44 features Tom Hardy as disgraced secret police agent Leo Demidov, who is exiled from Moscow after he refuses to rat out his wife, Raisa (Noomi Rapace). Out in the sticks, the couple unite with General Nesterov (Gary Oldman) to track down a serial killer targeting young boys. Naturally, the country makes it difficult for the trio and throw every obstacle in their way to prevent them catching the man responsible.
By that brief overview alone it’s safe to say that the combination of content and star power is an attractive prospect. When you throw in Hardy’s willingness to tackle yet another accent, its appeal skyrockets even farther.
The fact that Child 44 is based on the first novel in author Tom Rob Smith’s trilogy indicates there’s a chance of Demidov’s return in future instalments. We’ll just have to see how this attempt fares, however, when it opens in theaters on April 17th.
For now, check out the trailer above and plot summary below and let us know what you think.
A politically-charged serial killer thriller set in 1953 Soviet Russia, CHILD 44 chronicles the crisis of conscience for secret police agent Leo Demidov (Tom Hardy), who loses status, power and home when he refuses to denounce his own wife, Raisa (Noomi Rapace), as a traitor. Exiled from Moscow to a grim provincial outpost, Leo and Raisa join forces with General Mikhail Nesterov (Gary Oldman) to track down a serial killer who preys on young boys. Their quest for justice threatens a system-wide cover-up enforced by Leo’s psychopathic rival Vasili (Joel Kinnaman), who insists “There is no crime in Paradise.” Summit Entertainment presents in association with Worldview Entertainment a Scott Free production, a Daniel Espinosa film.