The Girl in the Spider’s Web trailer: First look at Claire Foy as queer literary heroine Lisbeth Salander
Sony and Columbia Pictures have finally unveiled the first trailer for upcoming thriller The Girl in the Spider’s Web, which reveals The Queen star Claire Foy as the pierced, undercut-sporting, combat boots-wearing Lisbeth Salander.
The movie is based on the novel by David Lagercrantz, the Swedish writer who continued the Millennium literary series after original author Stieg Larsson died in 2004.
Spider’s Web sees computer hacker Salander and journalist Mikael Blomvkist (Sverrir Gudnason) become embroiled in a world of cybercriminals and corrupt, underground organisations.
The trailer wastes no time showing Foy’s Salander getting justice against corrupt men (Sony Pictures Entertainment/YouTube)
The first-look footage certainly looks more action-packed and more graphic than the adaptations movie-goers have seen before – which is to be expected given that Fede Alvarez, who is best known for directing Don’t Breathe and Evil Dead, was the one behind the camera this time round.
Not only does it see Foy’s Salander jumping into a bathtub full of water to seek shelter in an exploding apartment, it also boasts plenty of shots of her on her motorbike, burning buildings and characters wielding guns and bloodied fists.
[youtube https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=XKMSP9OKspQ]
Those who revelled in David Fincher’s interpretation of the first novel have no need to fear though. There’s a moment towards the very end of the trailer that looks to be just as twisted as some of the imagery seen in its predecessor… Anyone else thinking of American Horror Story‘s Rubber Man?!
While fans of this franchise will have seen Salander on the big screen several times before, it’s fair to say they don’t know all that much about her as the first three books tended to concentrate on her relationship with Blomvkist and how she became “the righter of wrongs” alongside him, albeit semi-reluctantly.
But this film looks to change that as it promises to show audiences that “the past never forgets.”
Sylvia Hoeks can be glimpsed in the trailer as Camilla Salander, Lisbeth’s sister (Sony Pictures Entertainment/YouTube)
The fourth book which inspires this movie, looks back on her childhood and examines her relationship with her father and sister, Camilla. The latter is played by Sylvia Hoeks, who was last seen as Luv in Blade Runner 2049, and she makes quite the impression in the trailer as her character comes face-to-face with the sibling she shares such a dark and intense past with.
Glimpsed in a bright red, caped outfit in front of a snowy backdrop, she can be heard asking a wide-eyed Salander: “I could never figure it out. Why did you help everyone, but me?” This reunion is going to be anything but warm.
Those who have only seen the previous English-language instalment will likely be in the dark about who Salander really is even more so. Something we do know about her, however, is that Salander is openly queer as throughout the novels, she has had both male and female lovers.
This November, discover what made her the girl. #GirlintheSpidersWeb 11.9.18 pic.twitter.com/A8UTudMGe9
— The Girl in the Spider’s Web (@DragonTattoo) June 7, 2018
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The Oscar-nominated Fincher film, which released in 2011, saw Rooney Mara’s version of the character have sexual relationships with Elodie Yung’s Miriam Wu – a character who returned in a larger capacity in the second novel – and most notably, Daniel Craig’s Blomvkist. It’s likely she’ll have romantic entanglements in the latest movie too.
The Girl in the Spider’s Web also stars The Square‘s Claes Bang, British actor and comedian Stephen Merchant, Phantom Thread‘s Vicky Krieps and Get Out standout Lakeith Stanfield.
It is set to be released in UK cinemas on November 9.
