Peter Berg returns behind the camera for his first feature since 2008’s Hancock with Battleship, Universal’s adaptation of the classic board game, with a cast headed up by Taylor Kitsch, Alexander Skarsgård, Liam Neeson, Brooklyn Decker, Josh Pence, Tadanobu Asano, and of course, Rihanna, who’s making her acting debut.
Brothers Jon and Erich Hoeber (whose credits include the Bruce Willis-starrer Red) penned the script, and Universal have put out a brand new trailer for us to share with you that features some pretty awesome explosions, buildings collapsing, and all-round impressive special effects.
“Peter Berg (Hancock) produces and directs the May 18, 2012 release, an epic action-adventure that unfolds across the seas, in the skies and over land as our planet fights for survival against a superior force. Based on Hasbro’s classic naval combat game, Battleship stars Taylor Kitsch as Hopper, a Naval officer assigned to the USS John Paul Jones; Brooklyn Decker as Sam, a physical therapist and Hopper’s fiancée; Alexander Skarsgård as Hopper’s older brother, Commanding Officer Stone of the USS Samson; Rihanna as Lt. Raikes, Hopper’s crewmate and a weapons specialist on the USS John Paul Jones; and Liam Neeson as Hopper and Stone’s superior (and Sam’s father), Admiral Shane.”
I was a little sceptical at first about what a Battleship movie would look like, but as we get closer to the release and see more of it, I’m tempted to think that it’s going to be a pretty substantial success. This new trailer shows off more of the plot – which seems to actually exist here, which is always nice – as well as touting the effects company who also worked on Transformers, which is almost immediately apparent when we see a Bumblebee-esque entity on board the ship, not to mention the collapsing building that looks like it came right out of Transformers: Dark of the Moon. Still, very impressive effects all the same.
If you’re reading this in the UK, you have less than a month for Battleship to explode onto the big screen, with its release here set for 11th April. Those in the US will have to wait a little longer, with Battleship coming to your shores on 18th May. Until then, here’s the new trailer to for your viewing pleasure. And for all of the rest of our coverage for the film so far, click here.
