WATCH: Joaquin Phoenix as a gun-loving Sheriff in Eddington teaser

The upcoming star-studded flick Eddington, starring Joaquin Phoenix, Pedro Pascal, and Emma Stone, has just released its first teaser trailer and it’s already stirring curiosity.

Directed by acclaimed filmmaker Ari Aster, Eddington is a Western thriller infused with dark humor and social commentary. The film is set to make its world premiere at the 2025 Cannes Film Festival this May.

Alongside Joaquin Phoenix, Pedro Pascal, and Emma Stone, the impressive ensemble includes Austin Butler, Luke Grimes, Deirdre O’Connell, Micheal Ward, Clifton Collins Jr., and Amélie Hoeferle.

The eerie trailer opens with an unsettling voiceover: “Of course, they keep looking at that lab in China. If you look at that lab in Wuhan… When that was established, it was 1956 — of course, that was the year Tom Hanks was born, the first celebrity with the virus.”

Set in a small New Mexico town during a pandemic, the film follows Joaquin Phoenix as a conflicted sheriff who challenges the local mayor, played by Pedro Pascal.

The teaser shows Phoenix’s character scrolling through social media, defending gun culture in Eddington, while Butler’s character delivers an intense speech about pain not being accidental. Emma Stone’s character appears next, publicly refuting her husband’s earlier statement.

Amélie Hoeferle’s character posts a TikTok-style video reflecting on Giovanni’s Room with the caption, “1 like = 1 ACAB,” followed by a series of viral-style clips including a conspiracy theory linking Michael Jackson and 9/11, and a symbolic #BlackoutTuesday black square post.

Pedro Pascal’s Mayor Garcia is shown campaigning with a promise to keep Eddington safe, while Phoenix’s sheriff is seen in a controversial viral moment, headlined: “‘Law and Order’ Sheriff Assaults Protestor in Town Rocked By Murders.”

Written, directed, and produced by Ari Aster under the Square Peg banner with producing partner Lars Knudsen, Eddington marks his fourth feature film after Hereditary, Midsommar, and Beau Is Afraid.

The film is produced and financed by A24, which debuted the project at the Berlinale European Film Market earlier this year — hinting at its Cannes debut long before it was confirmed.

With its sharp satire, bold casting, and Aster’s signature tension, Eddington is shaping up to be one of 2025’s most talked-about films.