It’ll be Shakespeare like you’ve rarely seen it.

Multi-Academy Award winners Denzel Washington and Frances McDormand star in the interracial casting of The Tragedy of Macbeth, the title that Oscar-winner Joel Coen (Fargo, No Country For Old Men) has given his adaptation of The Bard’s Macbeth. It’s the epic tale of power, obsession and murder in a wicked, murderous quest for the crown of Scotland.

Washington stars in the title role (along with McDormand, for that matter, as the ruthless Lady Macbeth) of the first solo writing and directing effort from Joel Coen who’s not working with his brother Ethan for the first time. The siblings shared writing, producing and directing duties on all of their previous efforts.

Shot in black-and-white and in a square 1:33:1 aspect ratio (like films were in the early days of cinema), this first-look teaser is so stunning yet so visually vague that, by the looks of it, this could’ve easily been shot entirely on soundstages and sets rather than actual locations.

It’ll be intriguing to see just how wide and vast the visual scope of this project is (or isn’t), and could result in a fascinating marriage between crafted cinema and live theatre. Regardless, it looks hypnotic, surreal and mesmerizing — and promises to be a real work of art.

Produced by A24 and AppleTV+, The Tragedy of Macbeth — co-starring Brendan Gleeson, Corey Hawkins, Harry Melling, Moses Ingram, Bertie Carvel, and Kathryn Hunter as the Trio of Witches — opens in theaters on December 25, 2021 before streaming on AppleTV+ on January 14, 2022.

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Denzel Washington and Frances McDormand star as Macbeth and Lady Macbeth in Joel Coen’s THE TRAGEDY OF MACBETH, an adaptation of William Shakespeare’s epic play.

Denzel Washington stars as Macbeth in Joel Coen’s THE TRAGEDY OF MACBETH, an adaptation of William Shakespeare’s epic play.

Frances McDormand stars as Lady Macbeth in Joel Coen’s THE TRAGEDY OF MACBETH, an adaptation of William Shakespeare’s epic play.

Brendan Gleeson co-stars as the King of Scotland, alongside co-star Harry Melling as Malcolm, in Joel Coen’s THE TRAGEDY OF MACBETH, an adaptation of William Shakespeare’s epic play.

Bertie Carvel co-stars with Denzel Washington in Joel Coen’s THE TRAGEDY OF MACBETH, an adaptation of William Shakespeare’s epic play.

Kathryn Hunter stars as the Trio of Witches in Joel Coen’s THE TRAGEDY OF MACBETH, an adaptation of William Shakespeare’s epic play.

Bertie Carvel co-stars with Denzel Washington in Joel Coen’s THE TRAGEDY OF MACBETH, an adaptation of William Shakespeare’s epic play.

Frances McDormand stars as Lady Macbeth in Joel Coen’s THE TRAGEDY OF MACBETH, an adaptation of William Shakespeare’s epic play.

A crown is retrieved in Joel Coen’s THE TRAGEDY OF MACBETH, an adaptation of William Shakespeare’s epic play.

Someone is under the spotlight in Joel Coen’s THE TRAGEDY OF MACBETH, an adaptation of William Shakespeare’s epic play.

Official Poster for Joel Coen’s THE TRAGEDY OF MACBETH, an adaptation of William Shakespeare’s epic play.

Title GIF for Joel Coen’s THE TRAGEDY OF MACBETH, an adaptation of William Shakespeare’s epic play.