For “Drive” and “Neon Demon” fans, the trailer debut of Nicholas Winding Refn’s epic launch into television makes today an exciting one. While this extended, imagery-filled look at the series spotlights an exciting ensemble cast and debuts plenty of eye-catching visuals, it still holds the show’s secrets pretty close to its chest.
“Too Old to Die Young,” which according to the official description follows “characters’ existential journeys from being killers to becoming samurais in the city of angels,” promises a blend of violence, beauty and existential thought. “Society’s fallen, it’s all collapsing around us,” one character intones, as Refn’s camera captures both the raw natural and urban beauty of Southern California. (There’s even a horse!)
“Too Old to Die Young” starsMiles Teller, Jena Malone, Billy Baldwin, John Hawkes, Nell Tiger Free, Babs Olusanmokun, Callie Hernandez, and Cristina Rodlo. Refn co-wrote the series with Ed Brubaker, and directed all 10 episodes himself. As composer Cliff Martinezrevealed in February, each episode will be at least 90 minutes long.
That might explain why the show has taken so long to make: Refn has been providing a behind-the-scenes look at the show’s production for over a year now via Facebook and Instagram, a decisionhe told IndieWire at the timewas because “our media is just changing so rapidly it’s almost becoming a whole new beast. There’s a sense of kind of absurdity in that, we can really just interview ourselves and dictate how we want to be perceived because the technology allows us that ability now.”
That said, there are still plenty of mysteries left to uncover about how Refn’s unique point-of-view will translate to episodic storytelling. As this teaser clearly implies, there will be both great beauty and great terror to behold.
“Too Old to Die Young” premieres June 14 onAmazon PrimeVideo. Check out the trailer below.
