Deeper than your run-of-the-mill war-centered action thriller, Guy Ritchie is hoping to bring audiences a heartfelt story about the bond between two strangers-turned-friends in his upcoming feature The Covenant. Known for backing pulse-pounding titles including The Man From U.N.C.L.E. and The Gentlemen, Ritchie is striking out to tell a more involved story with the help of Academy Award-nominee Jake Gyllenhaal and Bodil Award-nominee Dar Salim. A new trailer better sheds light on the “bond,” “pledge,” and “commitment” that audiences will see play out between the two protagonists.The opening of the teaser shows the moment that Gyllenhaal’s Sergeant John Kinley meets his team’s local interpreter, Ahmed (Salim). Taking off like a rocket, the slow-paced introduction is immediately cut short by gunfire and chaos, followed by Kinley barely holding onto life. Nursing his new friend back to health, we see shots of that special bond that featurettes and trailers have been boasting with Ahmed dragging Kinley across a vacant desert landscape, ensuring that he arrives home safely. Upon his return to the United States, Kinley is discouraged to discover that the government’s deal with Ahmed, which was to see his family granted sanctuary in the U.S., has been pulled from the table, leaving Kinley with only one decision - to go back into enemy territory and retrieve his friend by himself. While this particular teaser doesn’t fill audiences in on Ahmed’s tumultuous and tragic history with the Taliban, we know that he’s hoping to carry out revenge on the terrorist organization that brutally murdered his son.Along with leading men Gyllenhaal and Salim, The Covenant will also feature the talents of an ensemble cast that includes the likes of Antony Starr (The Boys), Christian Ochoa Lavernia (Agents of S.H.I.E.L.D.), Sean Sagar (The Gentlemen), Emily Beecham (Daphne), Alexander Ludwig (Vikings), and Jason Wong (Dungeons & Dragons: Honor Among Thieves). Working alongside long-time collaborators, director Ritchie, also co-penned the script with Ivan Atkinson (The Gentlemen, Aladdin) and Marn Davies (Sherlock Holmes, The Gentlemen).RELATED: 10 Best Guy Ritchie Movies, Ranked According to Rotten Tomatoes
What Else Does Guy Ritchie Have in the Works?
Ritchie just dropped the star-studded spy comedy, Operation Fortune: Ruse de Guerre which boasts a call sheet that includes Jason Statham, Aubrey Plaza, Josh Hartnett, Bugsy Malone, Cary Elwes, and Hugh Grant. Not wasting any time, Ritchie has recently announced the 2024 release window for his next war-based film, The Ministry of Ungentlemanly Warfare, a WWII movie featuring another A-list lineup including Henry Cavill, Eliza González, and Henry Golding. And, while not much is known about the production at this time, the director is also attached to the live-action remake of Disney's beloved animated film, Hercules.
Check out the latest trailer for The Covenant below and prepare for a heartfelt and dangerous journey when the feature arrives in theaters on April 21.
