Christoph Waltz Grapples With The Zero Theorem In First TV Spot

Terry Gilliam’s The Zero Theorem still does not have a U.S. release date, and that makes me very angry indeed. Although we’ve already seen one trailer for the film, those of us still languishing across the pond will have to make do for now with only dreams and foreign previews. Today, the first UK TV spot was released, featuring a bald Christoph Waltz and an intriguing introduction to the potential meaninglessness of the universe.

In the film, Waltz plays a reclusive computer genius bent on solving the Zero Theorem, and thus establishing the purpose of existence. Locking himself up in an old church, he faces interruptions to his work in the form of love, desire, and friendship from the likes of Ben Whishaw, Melanie Thierry, and Tilda Swinton. The film has already played at the Venice Film Festival and Fantastic Fest and has earned fairly positive review.

If the first trailer for The Zero Theorem was not enough to convince you that this was a Terry Gilliam film through and through, then perhaps this TV spot will. There are shades of Brazil permeating our few glimpses of the dystopian world, while the plot seems to exist in the same vein as The Imaginarium of Dr. Parnassus. Even in this brief clip, Waltz is obviously playing a very different part from his usual roles here, and that’s not just because of the bald head.

Gilliam has had a number of hits and just as many misses over his career, but his films are consistently imaginative, if not just a little mad. The Zero Theorem looks like another entry in the many madcap worlds he creates, and if it fails to deliver what it promises it will at the very least be a strange and wild ride. 

We will keep an eye out for a US release date for The Zero Theorem. Until then, you can check out the UK TV spot below and let us know what you think in the comments section.