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Game
We see a lot of trailers. Some are forgettable, some are a bit rubbish, and a very small number manage to get under your skin and stay with you. The trailer for the film GAME, set for release in November 2025, falls squarely into that last category. It's two minutes of pure tension, leaving you with more questions than answers and a palpable sense of unease.
The trailer kicks off with a chilling voice-over: "I watched someone die before." This immediately sets a dark, sombre tone, which is then jarringly undercut by the revving of a car and the sudden switch to a pulsing electronic score. This is not a horror film in the traditional sense, but something far more psychological, and this trailer makes it clear that the film will play with our expectations.
We're thrown into a high-speed car chase on a winding country road. A figure in a black balaclava is the focus, both behind the wheel and later, on foot, being pursued through a forest. The action is frantic and kinetic, culminating in a violent car crash where the vehicle flips dramatically. This segment is pure adrenaline, but what's the purpose of the chase? Is it a game, a hunt, a revenge story? The trailer's genius lies in its ambiguity.
The second half of the trailer takes a surprisingly different turn. The electronic music fades, replaced by a haunting folk song about a poacher. This shift is brilliant. It slows everything down, allowing us to absorb a series of quick, evocative shots: a beautiful pheasant, a watchful fox, and intimate moments between the characters. The juxtaposition of the thrilling chase with the pastoral imagery and folk music is what makes this trailer so unique. It suggests a complex story at play, one that's perhaps not just about a high-octane pursuit, but also about something primal, something rooted in nature and survival.
GAME appears to be a film that defies easy categorisation. It's got the action of a thriller, the character intimacy of a drama, and the atmospheric dread of a psychological horror. The final reveal of the title and the release date is a final punch, a simple, one-word name that feels both a little menacing and incredibly intriguing.
The UK premiere will be on 16 October 2025 at the opening night of Mayhem Film Festival in Nottingham, the hometown of Jason Williamson, who will be in attendance along with Marc Bessant, John Minton, Geoff Barrow and Rob Williams. Tickets will be on sale shortly. Other festivals and Q&As will be announced in due course.
