There’s nothing like a bit of drama that can either hype or stop a film dead in its tracks. The long awaited film, Tulip Fever, has finally gotten its first trailer ahead of its August release date.
Originally set to be made all the way back in 2004, Tulip Fever has gone through some issues. Jude Law and Keira Knightley were cast in the lead roles only for production to be shut down following a tax break program shuttered by the British government caused the budget to go up by $17 million. From there, production picked back up in 2013 with the final film’s director, Justin Chadwick, and female lead, Alicia Vikander, on board. Though, this version’s rumored male lead, Matthias Schoenaerts, turned down the opportunity giving way to Dane DeHaan.
The film, set in the Netherlands during the 17th century, takes place during “tulip mania.” Prices soared for single bulbs of the newly introduced flower in Europe during this time. An artist (DeHaan) is hired to paint a married woman’s (Vikander) portrait when the two fall in love. They invest in the tulip market as an investment in their future. In turn, the two must avoid being caught by the woman’s husband, played by Christoph Waltz.
Tulip Fever was originally scheduled for release in 2016 but was, again, delayed. Producer Harvey Weinstein was said to be unhappy with the original cut. Despite all of the film’s issues, the trailer looks promising. The main cast is great with a solid supporting cast that includes Cara Delevingne, Jack O’Connell, Holliday Grainger, Zach Galifianakis, and Dame Judi Dench. Yet, the trailer does appear to be a little confused as to the film’s overall style when it first starts out. For a period drama, it feels a little hokey possibly due to the music in the beginning.
We only have to wait a few more months to see the finished product. Tulip Fever is set for release on August 25th. Check out the trailer and comment below.
