The first official trailer for Academy Award winning director Tom Hooper‘s musical adaptation of Les Miserables has been released. The film is of course based on the famous book by Victor Hugo which was then transformed into an incredibly popular stage musical.
The trailer doesn’t give us much more than the recent photos did, with the entire thing being dubbed with Anne Hathaway singing one of the production’s most famous songs, I Dreamed A Dream.
We also get a look at some elaborate costume and production design as well as a good glimpse of all the major cast members.
Speaking of cast members, all of the actors look great in their parts, especially Hathaway, who has undergone quite a strong physical transformation. Still no sightings of Sacha Baron Cohen or Helena Bonham Carter‘s characters but I’m sure we can expect more on them soon.
Those of you who are familiar with the musical will know that the story quite depressing, and this really comes through in the trailer. To be honest, it’s a little too much at times and it looks a bit heavy handed.
That being said, the film looks like prime Oscar material in almost every category, so don’t be surprised if Hooper makes another sweep at the Oscars come February.
Les Miserables stars Hugh Jackman, Russell Crowe, Anne Hathaway, Amanda Seyfried, Helena Bonham Carter, Sacha Baron Cohen, Eddie Redmayne and Samantha Barks, and will hit theaters everywhere on December 14th, 2012.
Check out the trailer and the synopsis below.
Les Misérables is the motion-picture adaptation of the beloved global stage sensation seen by more than 60 million people in 42 countries and in 21 languages around the globe and still breaking box-office records everywhere in its 27th year. Helmed by The King’s Speech‘s Academy Award®-winning director, Tom Hooper, the Working Title/Cameron Mackintosh production stars Hugh Jackman, Oscar® winner Russell Crowe, Anne Hathaway and Eddie Redmayne, with further casting to be announced.
Set against the backdrop of 19th-century France, Les Misérables tells an enthralling story of broken dreams and unrequited love, passion, sacrifice and redemption–a timeless testament to the survival of the human spirit. Jackman plays ex-prisoner Jean Valjean, hunted for decades by the ruthless policeman Javert (Crowe) after he breaks parole. When Valjean agrees to care for factory worker Fantine’s (Hathaway) young daughter, Cosette, their lives change forever.
In December 2012, the world’s longest-running musical brings its power to the big screen in Tom Hooper’s sweeping and spectacular interpretation of Victor Hugo’s epic tale. With international superstars and beloved songs–including “I Dreamed a Dream,” “Bring Him Home,” “One Day More” and “On My Own”–Les Misérables, the show of shows, is now reborn as the cinematic musical experience of a lifetime.