CBS Films has unveiled the somber first trailer forLone SurvivordirectorPeter Berg’s Boston Marathon bombing dramaPatriots Day, which relives the events surrounding the terrorist attack and the resulting manhunt.Mark Wahlbergleads the cast as a police officer working the event, reuniting with Berg for the third time on a true story drama about American heroes afterLone Survivorand, most recently, the BP oil spill thrillerDeepwater Horizon. Berg has certainly found a bit of a niche with these kinds of projects, and his documentary-style camera work that was so prevalent throughoutFriday Night Lights(he directed the pilot and served as executive producer) looks to suitPatriots Dayjust fine, bringing the audience into the middle of the action with an immediacy that serves to highlight the fear and horror surrounding the event.
This teaser trailer doesn’t dig much into the story, and without these famous faces could almost be mistaken for a TV promo focusing on American heroes. Berg co-wrote the script withFinest HoursscribesEric JohnsonandPaul Tamasyas well asTriple 9writerMatt Cook, and I’m mighty curious to see how the events are chronicled. We know thatAlex Wolffplays terrorist Dzhokhar Tsarnaev, so will the film also cover the point of view of Dzhokhar and his brother, or will they simply be viewed from the perspective of law enforcement?
There’s yet another added bit of intrigue here asTrent ReznorandAtticus Rossare composing the score, marking only their fifth feature film after their incredible, Oscar-winning work onDavid Fincher’sThe Social Network,The Girl with the Dragon Tattoo, andGone Girlas well as the upcoming climate change documentaryBefore the Flood. These guys don’t score a ton of movies, so something must have sparked them toPatriots Day.
Check out thePatriots Daytrailer below. The film also starsMichelleMonaghan,John Goodman,Kevin Bacon, andJ.K. Simmons.Patriots Dayopens in limited release on December 21st before expanding wide on June 02, 2025.
Here’s the official synopsis forPatriots Day:
In the aftermath of an unspeakable act of terror, Police Sergeant Tommy Saunders (Mark Wahlberg) joins courageous survivors, first responders and investigators in a race against the clock to hunt down the bombers before they strike again. Weaving together the stories of Special Agent Richard Deslauriers (Kevin Bacon), Police Commissioner Ed Davis (John Goodman), Sergeant Jeffrey Pugliese (J.K. Simmons) and nurse Carol Saunders (Michelle Monaghan) this visceral and unflinching chronicle captures the suspense of the most sophisticated manhunt in law enforcement history and the strength of the people of Boston.
