"We sought refuge in solitude, yet found ourselves ensnared within throngs." Vertical Entertainment has unveiled the official trailer for the survival thriller "Eden," masterfully directed by Ron Howard. This film made its debut to a mixed bag of accolades at the 2024 Toronto Film Festival and has since premiered in numerous other countries earlier this year. Through the haunting narration of Ron Howard, "Eden" unfolds a chilling and harrowing true story from the 1930s, focusing on a group of individuals who chose to exile themselves to the Galapagos Islands, seeking an existence devoid of external intrusions. "Life here is bleak, soul-crushing. The specter of failure looms large."
The narrative delves into the lives of a select few, driven by an unyielding desire for change, who turned their backs on society to embark on a perilous voyage to the unforgiving landscapes of the Galapagos. Based on historical events, this gripping thriller stars Jude Law and Vanessa Kirby as idealistic Europeans yearning for a fresh start on a previously uninhabited island in the Galápagos archipelago. Believing they had discovered paradise, they, along with others who followed suit, soon realized that their fellow humans were their true tormentors.
The film boasts a stellar ensemble cast, including Ana de Armas, Daniel Brühl, Sydney Sweeney, Felix Kammerer, and Toby Wallace, among others, whose arrivals disrupt the fragile peace. Earlier this year, we featured another trailer for this mesmerizing film. Having watched it, I found it incredibly captivating, albeit infuriating in its depiction of the islanders' plight.
Dr. Friedrich Ritter (Jude Law) and his partner Dora Strauch (Vanessa Kirby) flee their native Germany in 1929, rejecting the bourgeois values they deemed corruptive of humanity's true essence. On Floreana, one of the Galapagos Islands, Friedrich seeks solace to pen his manifesto, while Dora aspires to heal her multiple sclerosis through meditation. However, their cherished solitude is short-lived. They are soon joined by Margaret (Sydney Sweeney) and Heinz Wittmer (Daniel Brühl), sincere and capable settlers in their own right. Subsequently arrives Eloise Bosquet de Wagner Wehrhorn (Ana de Armas), a self-proclaimed Baroness and the "epitome of perfection," accompanied by two devoted lovers, an Ecuadorian servant, a wardrobe filled with evening gowns, and grand plans to erect a luxury hotel.
Battling harsh weather, unruly wildlife, and an absolute scarcity of amenities, all three groups find life on Floreana arduous. Yet, nothing will test their resolve more than coexisting with desperate neighbors capable of theft, deception, and beyond.
"Eden" is directed by the acclaimed American actor-turned-filmmaker Ron Howard, whose credits span a vast array of films, including "Grand Theft Auto," "Splash," "Cocoon," "Willow," "Backdraft," "The Paper," "Apollo 13," "Ransom," "Edtv," "A Beautiful Mind," "The Missing," "Cinderella Man," "The Da Vinci Code," "Frost/Nixon," "Angels & Demons," "The Dilemma," "Rush," "In the Heart of the Sea," "Inferno," "Solo: A Star Wars Story," "Hillbilly Elegy," and most recently, "Thirteen Lives," along with numerous documentary films. The screenplay is penned by Noah Park (of the "Genius" series, "The Show," and "Tetris"), based on a story by Ron Howard and Noah Pink.
Produced by Ron Howard, Brian Grazer, Karen Lunder, Stuart Ford, William M. Connor, and Patrick Newall, "Eden" premiered as one of the Gala Presentations at the 2024 Toronto Film Festival and has already graced European cinemas earlier this year. Vertical Entertainment will release Ron Howard's "Eden" in US theaters on August 22nd, 2025. Intrigued?
