'Hereditary' Director's New Drug-Cult Movie 'Midsommar': See Haunting Trailer

Hereditary was one of the biggest breakout horror hits of 2018, with its fresh takes on horror tropes that delve into madness, paranoia and the occult set off by stylish cinematography and outstanding performances by its cast of newcomers and established stars alike. Returning to expand on this form and delve deeper into the gripping terror of cults and their effects on members, director Ari Aster's coming chiller Midsommar is sure to be another entry in the auteur's eerie oeuvre. 

The official trailer for the film, dropped this morning (March 5th) on production house A24's YouTube channel, shows the peaceful serenity of a Swedish village through the lens of a vacationing couple looking to participate in the locals' nine-day midsommar festival. Sunny, breezy, and draped in white gowns and floral headdresses, the villagers seem all too welcoming and insist on the visitors' joining in their yearly ritual which seems to include some form of ingesting a hallucinogenic formula. 

"You can't speak, you can't move, but this opens you up to the influence, and it breaks down your defenses," explains a steely-eyed blonde leader in the compound. Her lulling voice and the dreamy, rhythmic chiming of bells toll a sinister air of sedation, and scenes of peaceful communing among revelers flash among more ominous clips of blood smeared on runic tablet and a disfigured member leering menacingly as torch-bearing cult officials engage in some sort of violent ritual. 

Midsommar, starring Florence Pugh, Jack Reynor, and more hits theaters August 3rd. Find more information about the film on on A24's website.