Merrick Morton/Twentieth Century Fox So the first official trailer for Gone Girl was released yesterday, and people went nuts for it. But perhaps you're a bit out of the loop and have no idea why everyone straight-up had an Internet meltdown when the footage went live. It's just another David Fincher film, right? Sure, it's got Ben Affleck, but what film doesn't? Why are people making such a big deal about it?
Come join us in the loop over here if you're curious as to why the Gone Girl trailer has been lighting up the Internet since Monday afternoon. Here's everything you need to know about what makes this movie one of the most highly anticipated releases of the year, plus a dive into how and why the trailer has whipped the fans into a frenzy:
Books, Y'all: Gone Girl is an adaptation from the 2012 best-selling novel of the same name, written by Gillian Flynn. People went crazy for it. In fact, if you asked anyone that year for a book recommendation, they would shout "Gone Girl!" faster than you could say "please don't shout at me."
Basic Synopsis: The plot is very complex, much too complex to sum up in a couple sentences, but basically the book revolves around Nick Dunne, whose wife Amy goes missing on their five-year wedding anniversary. It's a suspenseful crime story, sure, but it also takes an in-depth look at relationships and the notion that we never truly know the people we fall in love with.
Twisty Turns: We obviously are not going to tell you about the twists in the book, but just know that the second half of Gone Girl will give a new meaning to the phrase "holy s--t, I did not see that coming! What in the hell is going to happen now?" And that is a phrase you will probably use verbatim several times while reading about Amy and Nick.
The Adaptation: When such a popular book is being made into a feature film, the fan base is going to watch the development like a hawk. Reese Witherspoon's production company bought the film rights, which made some people worried because they assumed she would play Amy. And the popular consensus was that she was just not right for the part. Which brings us to…
Casting Qualms: When Ben Affleck was cast in the lead role of Nick Dunne, people had mixed reactions. Personally, we're big Ben fans (the actor, not the giant clock). Yep, we even saw Daredevil. So, we might be a little biased concerning the casting. Nick is handsome and charming, but readers (and viewers) are supposed to be wary of trusting him, so the actor needs to be able to portray a dark side and have a certain edge to his personality. We think Ben's more than capable of all that. However, some fans were on the brink of rioting over the idea of Ben playing Nick.
As for Amy, it was rumored that Emily Blunt was the favorite to play her, and most people were very excited about that. Amy has to be sweet and manipulative, smart and scary all at once, and Emily has the chops for that type of character. But it was English actress Rosamund Pike (Pride and Prejudice, Fracture, Jack Reacher) who nabbed the coveted role. She's not the biggest name in Hollywood (although she's been in plenty of films), so a lot of people are saving their judgment until they see her in the film.
The Trailer: As with any highly anticipated film, every photo released and every clip posted is intensely scrutinized by both fans and critics. So far, every piece of marketing for Gone Girl has been received with praise and excitement, and it's only upped the bar of expectation for the release in October.
And then we got the first official trailer. Set to a cover of the song "She," we finally get our first real look at how David Fincher is bringing the intricate story to the big screen. If you are a complete spoiler-phobe, it might serve you best to leave. We're not going to reveal big plot points, but we will highlight some scenes and characters that are important to the book and film:
Watch the trailer below so all the images are fresh in your mind before we dive in:
So what to make of that beautifully creepy trailer? Well, here is what's important to know and what you definitely need to take note of:
1. Ben Affleck's character Nick is addressing a candlelight vigil. The reason Amy's disappearance is such a huge story in their town and across the country is because Amy is somewhat of a celebrity and she played a huge part in people's childhoods.
2. This is Amy Dunne, aka "Amazing Amy." You'll find out why she's called "Amazing Amy" very early on in the book.
3. The overturned ottoman (and the entire crime scene in the living room) is a big piece of evidence in the case of Amy's disappearance.
4. Like we said, this whole town is searching for Amy. There are big search missions and billboards everywhere begging for information on her whereabouts.
5. Nick actually launches his own investigation into what really happened the day Amy disappeared, and his search eventually leads him to an abandoned mall.
6. This is our first look at how volatile Nick and Amy's marriage is/was. We won't go into too much detail, but basically Amy and Nick left New York to return to his hometown in Missouri, and they both have many regrets and secrets. And yes, you are supposed to be unsure of Nick's innocence.
7. This is an important moment because one of the reasons most of the country thinks Nick is guilty is because he shows very little emotion while on-camera talking about his wife, and he even smiles in some photos. Does this look like a man who is worried about his missing wife?
8. Nick runs a bar with his sister, Margo. Before the investigation, his bar didn't get a lot of visitors. And now that Nick is "famous," it appears that people are now flocking to his watering hole.
9. As you can tell by the news report on the TV, the media is obsessed with this case and with Nick's role in Amy's disappearance.
10. Nick makes a bold choice and decides to be interviewed by a big-time reporter on national TV, all in an attempt to clear his name. This decision will have a huge impact on Nick's image and the rest of the investigation.
11. Again, no spoilers about this, but Amy has a certain tradition for Nick when it comes to their anniversary.
12. This is Nick's attorney Tanner Bolt, played by Tyler Perry. Like the readers, he is unsure about Nick's innocence.
13. This is Margo Dunne, Nick's twin sister. She's a spunky hardass and the only one Nick can really trust and confide in during the investigation.
14. You should just know that this shed and its contents are very crucial to the investigation.
15. Finally, we get a final, eerie image of Amy Dunne with a voice over from Nick, insisting the he did not kill his wife. And most of Amy's friends and loved ones do not believe him.
Not featured in the trailer: Neil Patrick Harris' character Desi, an old boyfriend of Amy's. We are very anxious to see how this role comes to life on the screen, and hopefully we'll get our first look at him in the second trailer. Desi is a big part of the second half of the book.
Also not shown is Happy Ending's Casey Wilson, who plays Amy and Nick's neighbor, Noelle. Can't say much about her without spoiling stuff (which you're probably used to at this point in the article), but she definitely thinks Nick is guilty. And for good reason.
Lastly, there is no (clear) sign of Emily Ratajkowski, aka the hot girl from Robin Thicke's "Blurred Lines" video. She plays college student Andie, who may or may not be more than friends with Nick. And the last thing you want popping up about you when your wife disappears is the fact that you have a mistress.
So there you have it. Those are, in a nutshell, all the reasons why people are obsessing over the trailer and this movie. Now you can either wait for the film and just take it for what it is, or you can read the book and spend the next six months figuring out how David Fincher and the cast will bring Gone Girl's important scenes and characters to the big screen.