Occasionally, there is a new Western film that graces our screen with gunslinging protagonists saving the town before they ride off into the sunset. But few ever come with high anticipation and an electric cast such as “The Harder They Fall.” Netflix has released a new trailer for the upcoming Western, which stars Jonathan Majors, Zazie Beetz, Delroy Lindo, LaKeith Stanfield, Regina King, Idris Elba, Danielle Deadwyler, Edi Gathegi, R.J. Cyler, Damon Wayans Jr., and Deon Cole. Looking at the names alone, we are in for something that reinvents what we know about the old school western.
The trailer opens with Trudy Smith (Regina King) using her horse to gallop in front of a running train. As the engineer stops, he quickly accusing them of being a “stupid ni-“ and is immediately shot dead by Trudy. Cherokee Bill (LaKeith Stanfield) then says the engineer could have said “nincompoop.” “We ain’t no nincompoop,” Trudy retorts.
They then board the train to break Rufus Buck (Idris Elba) out of a pitch black cell that looks more like a large safe. As Rufus walks away, both Trudy and Cherokee Bill proceed to shoot all the guards. But this isn’t a jailbreak story.
The trailer then turns to Nat Love (Jonathan Majors), an outlaw who is called an angel “who hunts down those who trespass against him with no mercy.” Of course, we get to see what that means soon. After that, we see Nat’s own crew which includes the likes of Stagecoach Mary (Zazie Beetz), his right and left hand men — hot-tempered Bill Pickett (Edi Gathegi) and fast drawing Jim Beckwourth (R.J. Cyler).
The trailer is explosive and cinematic, with the quick draw action sequences and gruesomely fun action sequences. And with this being a predominately Black cast, it will be have its own sense of style, and simultaneously be a homage to the classic Western genre while also reinventing what we know about it.
Here’s the official plot synopsis:
When outlaw Nat Love (Jonathan Majors) discovers that his enemy Rufus Buck (Idris Elba) is being released from prison he rounds up his gang to track Rufus down and seek revenge. Those riding with him in this assured, righteously new school Western include his former love Stagecoach Mary (Zazie Beetz), his right and left hand men — hot-tempered Bill Pickett (Edi Gathegi) and fast drawing Jim Beckwourth (R.J. Cyler)—and a surprising adversary-turned-ally. Rufus Buck has his own fearsome crew, including “Treacherous” Trudy Smith (Regina King) and Cherokee Bill (LaKeith Stanfield), and they are not a group that knows how to lose. Directed by Jeymes Samuel, written by Samuel and Boaz Yakin, produced by Shawn Carter, James Lassiter, Lawrence Bender and Jeymes Samuel, and featuring a red hot soundtrack and a stunning all-star cast, including Jonathan Majors, Zazie Beetz, Delroy Lindo, LaKeith Stanfield, Danielle Deadwyler, Edi Gathegi, R.J. Cyler, Damon Wayans Jr., Deon Cole with Regina King and Idris Elba revenge has never been served colder.
“The Harder They Fall” marks the directorial debut of Jeymes Samuel, who is better known by his musical stagehand name The Bullitts. Though this may by his first feature film, Samuel has a few short films under his belt. His most notable one is “JAY-Z: Legacy.”
“The Harder They Fall” drops on Netflix later this Fall, and hopefully it gets a limited theatrical release. Hopefully.
