Faiths are Tested in Intense First Trailer for Martin Scorsese’s Silence

One of the biggest mysteries of the remainder of 2016 is Martin Scorsese’s latest project, Silence. The film only recently received a release date, and thus far, we’ve seen next to none of the finished product. Now, we finally have a trailer, and it looks to be everything we’ve come to expect from a Scorsese film.

Starring Andrew Garfield, Adam Driver and Liam Neeson, the film is set in the 17th century, and follows Jesuit priests as they attempt to bring Christianity to Japan. Garfield and Driver are traveling to Japan in pursuit of their mentor, played by Neeson, who seems to have lost his way.

The intense trailer gives us a sense of the hardships Garfield and Driver’s characters will face once they arrive in Japan. They’ve come to teach Christianity, but there seems to be more than a little reluctance on the part of the Japanese. In the end, Garfield is left wondering whether his prayers are answered. “Am I just praying to silence?” he asks.

Silence is based on the beloved 1966 novel of the same name by Shusaku Endo, and it’s been a passion project of Scorsese’s for some time now. The film is set to begin in limited release on Dec. 23 before going wide in January. Check out the trailer for Silence above.