The stories of the Bible and of Jesus Christ have been big parts of Hollywood for decades. Now, director Garth Davis (Lion) is bringing us another version of the story of Mary Magdalene, played by Rooney Mara, with Joaquin Phoenix playing Jesus of Nazareth.
The trailer for Mary Magdalene is elegant, wistful, everything you would expect from a biblical tale. That being said, this feels more contemporary, more along the lines of Scorsese’s Last Temptation than, say, The Passion of The Christ. Check it out:
Here is the synopsis, courtesy of The Playlist:
Set in the Holy Land in the first century C.E., a young woman leaves her small fishing village and traditional family behind to join a radical new social movement. At its head is a charismatic leader, Jesus of Nazareth, who promises that the world is changing. Mary is searching for a new way of living, and an authenticity that is denied her by the rigid hierarchies of the day. As the notoriety of the group spread and more are drawn to follow Jesus’ inspirational message, Mary’s spiritual journey places her at the heart of a story that will lead to the capital city of Jerusalem, where she must confront the reality of Jesus’ destiny and her own place within it.
Mara seems like a perfect fit to play Mary Magdalene, and Joaquin Phoenix will certainly have an interesting take on Jesus. We’ll see when Mary Magdalene hits theaters some time next year.
