The emotional 'Scenes From A Marriage' trailer is here

WORDS Jasmine Pirovic PUBLISHED Wed, 18 Aug 2021 - 1:00 pm

Fans of the influential Swedish filmmaker Ingmar Bergman will be delighted to know that we've just received our first look at HBO's remake of his 1973 miniseries Scenes From a Marriage. Starring Jessica Chastain and Oscar Isaac, like its predecessor, the limited series plunges into the messy and complex marriage between a modern American couple.

Hagai Levi is orchestrating the project, stepping in as co-creator, writer and director. An apt choice seeing as his previous series The Affair won four Golden Globes for its nuanced and well-observed depiction of a turbulent marriage. I'm sensing a theme here. In addition to their acting roles, Chastain and Isaac will executive produce the show. If their partnership behind the scenes is anything like their work together on A Most Violent Year then we're in for some real chemistry.

What is Scenes From A Marriage about?

According to the HBO website, the new iteration will return to the themes of "love, hatred, desire, monogamy, marriage, and divorce", exploring them through a contemporary american setting. If the HBO series stays true to Bergman's original, it will trail the ten-year lifespan of a wealthy couple's marriage. A dynamic that was directly inspired by Bergman's own relationship with his lover and muse Liv Ullmann, the actor who played Chastain's role in the original series.

Starting at the relationships inception, Levi will explore the rocky terrain leading up to the marriage's eventual demise. This time around he will cover the couples reconciliation and their dynamic post-divorce. Expect the same heart-wrenching scenes we got from Adam Driver and Scarlett Johansson in A Marriage Story.

Originally, Michelle Williams was set to take the female lead but she dropped out last October due to scheduling conflicts. In her place, Jessica Chastain marks her return to TV after a decade of featuring solely in film.

For those among us needing an escape from our own realities, you'll be able to watch Scenes From A Marriage on HBO Max from September 12. In the meantime, you can whet your palates with the trailer below.