First Trailer For James Gray’s ‘Armageddon Time’

James Gray’s latest is a coming-of-age story set in 1980s New York, with Jessica Chastain and Jeremy Strong also in the cast.

Following a warm reception at Cannes in May this year, filmmaker James Gray’s latest drama 'Armageddon Time' is ramping up its promotional schedule ahead of its release later this year.

The new movie from the director of ‘Ad Astra’, ‘Two Lovers’, ‘We Own The Night’ and ‘The Yards’ is described as “a deeply personal coming-of-age story about the strength of family and the generational pursuit of the American Dream.”

Translation: it’s a semi-autobiographical story inspired by Gray’s own upbringing. Here, newcomer Michael Banks Repeta plays Paul Graff, growing up in 1980s New York, a time when Ronald Reagan was headed to the White House and racial tensions sparked in the city.

When young Paul gets into trouble with his best friend (played by Jaylin Webb), he’s packed off to a stricter private school in the hopes that it’ll keep him in line and give him a leg up in the world.

Addressing the class early in Paul’s new school year is Maryanne Trump (Jessica Chastain), who happens to be one Donald Trump’s sister. And the shadow of the future president looms large over the movie, which aims to comment on his era while being set decades before it.

(L to R) Michael Banks Repeta as Paul Graff and Anthony Hopkins as Grandpa Aaron Rabinowitz in director James Gray's 'Armageddon Time,' a Focus Features release. Courtesy of Anne Joyce / Focus Features.

For Chastain’s part, she was happy to take on the role when original pick Cate Blanchett was unable to make the schedule work. And she even worked for free. “They sent me an offer and I said, ‘No, no, put the money back into the movie,'” Chastain told Variety of the role. “The only thing I ask — the only thing I would like — is for it to be never announced that I am in this movie.”

No one tell her about the new trailer! We guess she’s okay with it now, since everyone who watched the movie in Cannes saw her cameo. That’s one cat that is well and truly out of the bag.

Elsewhere, the cast is similarly stacked with great actors, including Anne Hathaway and Jeremy Strong as Paul’s parents Irving and Esther, while Anthony Hopkins is his grandfather, Aaron Rabinowitz, who offers some sage advice about standing up to racist bullies.

He has reason to stand up to bullies, since his family fled to America when he was a youngster himself to avoid the Nazis.

Given the cast and the subject matter –not to mention the positive notices out of Cannes – we’d expect this one to be in the awards conversation in a big way, especially in the acting categories.

‘Armageddon Time’ will arrive in theaters on October 28th.

(L to R) Jeremy Strong as Irving Graff and Anne Hathaway as Esther Graff in director James Gray's 'Armageddon Time,' a Focus Features release. Courtesy of Focus Features.

(L to R) Anne Hathaway stars as Esther Graff and Michael Banks Repeta stars as Paul Graff in director James Gray's 'Armageddon Time,' a Focus Features release. Courtesy of Focus Features.

(L to R) Jaylin Webb stars as Johnny Crocker and Michael Banks Repeta stars as Paul Graff in director James Gray's 'Armageddon Time,' a Focus Features release. Courtesy of Focus Features.