Stan has announced the release for its highly anticipated original movie The Surfer, featuring US actor Nicolas Cage.
A trailer for the psychological thriller released on Friday, with the film set to hit Australian cinemas on May 15 before streaming exclusively on Stan from June 15.
Scenes from the preview see Nicolas, 61, in character carrying a surfboard down to a beach with his on-screen son, portrayed by Finn Little.
‘You can’t stop a wave. It’s born in a storm way out to sea. Pure energy. It’s all building to this breaking point,’ Nicolas ominously says in a voice over.
He is then seen getting accosted by a gang of rough and tumble surfers who tell Nicolas and his son they can’t surf at the beach unless they live there.
‘Locals only. Don’t live here. Don’t surf here,’ one tough guy says later in the trailer.
Stan has announced the release for its highly anticipated original movie The Surfer, featuring US actor Nicolas Cage, 61
What follows are thrilling scenes of Nicolas appearing to slowly lose his sanity as he attempts to stand up for himself against the aggressive locals.
Twisted images show the character walking on to broken glass with bare feet and witnessing bizarre rituals occurring on the beach at night.
‘All I want is to take my son surfing,’ Nicolas begs the character named Scally, played by Julian McMahon.
‘Don’t kid yourself now. Before you can have everything, you have to experience nothing,’ Julian, 56, responds.
The trailer delves further into madness as Nicolas is seen drinking a liquid from the dirt and assaulting someone with a shovel.
At one point, he even attempts to force-feed someone with a dead rat.
Shot in Western Australia and directed by Lorcan Finnegan, The Surfer made waves at its world premiere at the 2024 Cannes Film Festival.
Described as a ‘cult movie in the making’, the movie received a six-minute standing ovation at the French festival.
A trailer for the psychological thriller released on Friday, with the film set to hit Australian cinemas on May 15 before streaming exclusively on Stan from June 15
Critics have praised Academy Award winner Nicolas for his lead role in the clip, saying it is one of the Hollywood star’s ‘best performances’ yet.
The Surfer will also soon represent Australia at the prestigious SXSW Festival in Austin, Texas in March.
Written by Thomas Martin, The Surfer is an intensely unnerving feature film shot in a single location in Yallingup in Western Australia.
It follows the story of a man who returns Down Under to buy back his family home after many years in the US.
Instead, he is humiliated in front of his teenage son by a group of local surfers who claim ownership over the secluded beach of his childhood.
Wounded, he defies them and remains at the beach, demanding acceptance.
As the conflict escalates, he is brought right to the edge of his sanity and his entire identity is thrown into question.
Nicolas stars alongside an impressive line-up of Australian actors in the film.
Shot in Western Australia and directed by Lorcan Finnegan, The Surfer made waves at its world premiere at the 2024 Cannes Film Festival where it received a six-minute standing ovation
Nip/Tuck star Julian McMahon, Mr Inbetween actor Nic Cassim, and Miranda Tapsell from The Dry worked with the A-lister in the movie.
Other Aussie cast members include Alexander Bertrand from Australian Gangster, Justin Rosniak from Last King of the Cross, and Mad Max star Rahel Romahn.
Yellowstone star Finn Little and Rebel Moon actor Charlotte Maggi also make an appearance in The Surfer.
Stan officially announced The Surfer in December 2023.
The streaming platform shared a first look image of Nicolas in character, appearing dishevelled and distressed while examining a bullet.
