IFC Films has released the trailer for Tesla, a biopic about inventor Nikola Tesla, coinciding with his 164th birthday.
Ethan Hawke takes on the role of the physicist and mastermind behind the design of the modern electricity supply system.
In the trailer which dropped on Friday, Hawke is seen facing numerous obstacles on the way to success including from Thomas Edison, played by Kyle MacLachlan.
Quirky period drama: In the trailer for Tesla which dropped Friday, Ethan Hawke plays inventor Nikola Tesla and his journey to success
Head to head: The biopic documents the infamous rivalry between Tesla and Thomas Edison (Kyle MacLachlan) as they feud over the development of AC and DC currents, respectively, in the 19th century
The duo even get into an ice cream fight in one scene in the quirky flick,
The biopic documents the infamous rivalry between Tesla and Edison as they feud over the development of AC and DC currents, respectively, in the 19th century.
Other aspects of Tesla’s life, personal and professional, are also portrayed in the film.
Jim Gaffigan, Eve Hewson, Hannah Gross, Josh Hamilton and Ebon Moss-Bachrac also star.
Funny twist: The duo even get into an ice cream fight in one scene in the quirky flick
The story also follows Tesla’s sidewinding courtship of financial titan J. P. Morgan (Donnie Keshawarz), whose daughter Anne (Eve Hewson) takes a more than casual interest in the inventor
History: Hannah Gross stars as Thomas Edison’s wife, Mina
The official synopsis reads: ‘Brilliant visionary Nikola Tesla (Hawke) fights an uphill battle to bring his revolutionary electrical system to fruition, then faces thornier challenges with his new system for worldwide wireless energy.
‘The film tracks Tesla’s uneasy interactions with his fellow inventor Thomas Edison (MacLachlan) and his patron George Westinghouse (Gaffigan),
‘Another thread traces Tesla’s sidewinding courtship of financial titan J. P. Morgan (Donnie Keshawarz), whose daughter Anne (Hewson) takes a more than casual interest in the inventor. Anne analyzes and presents the story as it unfolds, offering a modern voice to this scientific period drama which, like its subject, defies convention.’
The quirky drama opened at Sundance Film Festival earlier this year to generally favorable reviews from critics.
Line up: Jim Gaffigan, Eve Hewson, Hannah Gross, Josh Hamilton and Ebon Moss-Bachrac also star
The official synopsis reads: ‘Brilliant visionary Nikola Tesla (Hawke) fights an uphill battle to bring his revolutionary electrical system to fruition,’
‘Tesla faces thornier challenges with his new system for worldwide wireless energy.’ the synopsis continues
‘Anne analyzes and presents the story as it unfolds, offering a modern voice to this scientific period drama which, like its subject, defies convention.’
The movie, which opens August 21 in theaters and VOD, is written and directed by Michael Almereyda, who also helmed Hamlet, in which Hawke played the titular role in 2000.
Almereyda describes his unconventional portrayal of the enigmatic futurist as inspired by director Derek Jarman, author Henry James, and certain episodes of Comedy Central’s Drunk History.
Meanwhile, Hawke stars as abolitionist John Brown in Showtime’s Good Lord Bird which launches in October.
Different: Almereyda describes his unconventional portrayal of the enigmatic futurist as inspired by director Derek Jarman, author Henry James, and certain episodes of Comedy Central’s Drunk History
The quirky drama opened at Sundance Film Festival earlier this year to generally favorable reviews from critics