Tonight, Warner Bros. released the very first trailer for The Judge, an upcoming drama starring Robert Downey Jr. and Robert Duvall. It’s been a highly anticipated movie almost ever since it was announced, and for no other reason than the two powerhouse actors who topline the cast. But with this trailer, fans now have another reason to be excited.
I’ll admit that I was a bit skeptical about a softer drama coming from David Dobkin, the director of heartwarming comedy tales such as Wedding Crashers, Fred Claus and The Change-Up, but this footage shows that The Judge actually has some meat to it. It’s a pretty taut trailer, too, especially considering that this isn’t an action movie.
Obviously, with two excellent actors like Downey Jr. and Duvall, a character-driven story can go pretty far, and in this preview, we get a glimpse into the strained relationship between the two.  There’s some real fire behind the hatred here and a bitterness that Downey Jr. has shown time and time again he can play so well. There doesn’t seem to be all that much in terms of unfamiliar territory, but there is a darker, more suspenseful element than most family dramas have. Plus, the fact that the supporting cast includes Vera Farmiga, Jeremy Strong, Billy Bob Thornton and Dax Shepard has to say something about the script and the creative team involved.
In his Tweet about the trailer, Downey Jr. says this is the kind of movie he grew up wanting to make. That in itself is enough to further spark my excitement and intrigue.
In addition to the trailer, we’ve also got a new poster for the film. It’s nothing overly exciting, just Downey Jr. and Duvall deep in thought sitting back to back, but I suppose we’ve seen worse.
The Judge hits theaters on October 10, 2014. Check out the new poster and trailer below and let us know what you think.
