The Big Picture

The
Slingshot
trailer reveals a sci-fi thriller about astronauts preparing for a dangerous mission to Saturn’s moon, Titan.
Director Mikael Håfström promises an intense and layered story with shocking secrets revealed as the astronauts’ journey unfolds.
Casey Affleck stars as the lead astronaut in
Slingshot
, alongside Laurence Fishburne, Emily Beecham, and Tomer Capone.

The Slingshot is firing up and preparing for its first mission. Nearly three years since the project was first announced, Bleecker Street released the tension-filled first trailer for the new sci-fi psychological thriller from Outside the Wire and The Rite director Mikael Håfström and writers R. Scott Adams and Nathan Parker. The long-gestating feature stars Casey Affleck as an astronaut who’s about to be sent on a dangerous mission into space, but he begins to unravel as the horrifying possibilities begin to set in. The trailer comes exactly one month ahead of the title’s launch in theaters on August 30.

Slingshotcenters on an elite team of astronauts gearing up for a years-long mission to Saturn’s moon, Titan, utilizing a highly dangerous slingshot maneuver that could just as easily send them careening into the vast reaches of space. Even worse, however, is the fact that the mission could be fatally compromised, further lowering the chances of survival for the members aboard the project. The trailer tracks the run-up to and eventual launch of their journey as one of the astronauts, played by Affleck, struggles to maintain his grip on reality. Over time, the gravity of the operation only weighs heavier on him and his team with the reality that making the journey back will be nigh impossible.

Developing the sci-fi feature has been a years-long prospect for Håfström, who had spent significant time preparing the concept before it was finally announced in 2021. At the time of the reveal, he promised a layered story that unravels as the astronauts’ journey continues, saying “The script carves out some excellent characters and, as the story unfolds, some shocking secrets come to light.” Joining the director on the team alongside Adams and Parker are producers Richard Saperstein, Istvan Major, and Beau Turpin and executive producers Ivett Havasi, Shara Kay, Michael Hollingsworth, Tom Nohstadt, Ron Cundy, Nikolett Barabás, Jonathan Krauss, Brooklyn Weaver, and Joanna Plafsky.

Who Else Stars With Affleck in ‘Slingshot’?

Affleck will get a chance to stand out as the lead of Slighshot coming off of an appearance in Christopher Nolan’s atomic blockbuster hit Oppenheimer last year. The new sci-fi thriller is just one such role coming up for the Oscar winner in August, as he’s also set to star opposite Matt Damon in the gritty actioner The Instigators in theaters on August 2. He’ll have a strong group around him in Håfström’s film too, including Laurence Fishburne as the team’s captain Franks alongside Emily Beecham, Tomer Capone, and David Morrissey.

Slingshot arrives in theaters on August 30. Check out the trailer above.