The first trailer for Steven Spielberg’s The Post has finally arrived, and it already has movie lovers predicting big things at the Oscars. From the caliber of talent involved, including Oscar winning director Steven Spielberg, Oscar winning actors Meryl Streep and Tom Hanks, Oscar winning screenwriter Josh Singer, Oscar winning cinematographer Janusz Kamiński, Oscar winning editor Michael Kahn and Oscar winning composer John Williams, this is going to be hard for Academy members to pass up.
On top of everything else, the film centers on the release of the Pentagon Papers, with themes of the press going against government institutions and the struggle to do the right thing. These are certainly timely messages given the current administration in the White House, and Hollywood would probably love to send a message about the value of the free press. Additionally, the trailer shows Streep’s character, Washington Post publisher Kay Graham, battling sexism in the workplace which should certainly resonate amid this wave of sexual abuse allegations that are plaguing many Hollywood elites. On another note, Streep looks to be subtle yet powerful here, giving a different vibe than her flamboyant performances in recent years. She could very well be on her way to winning Oscar no. 4.
This is looking to be very Spielbergian in its glossy, theatrical approach to recent history, with an old-fashioned sensibility. Older moviegoers and Academy members will likely eat this up, as it’s the kind of decent, good-hearted, adult-themed movie many will claim “doesn’t get made anymore.” I’m not sure if the new younger members of the Academy will appreciate this kind of movie which is why I’m hesitant to predict it for Best Picture (especially since there hasn’t been an official screening yet) but you can probably bet it’ll be a big box office hit and rack up half a dozen nominations or more.
Watch the first trailer for The Post below and let me know what you think!