Emma Watson Realizes Her Potential in Unnerving First Trailer for The Circle

The Circle is on its way, and today brings our first taste of the dystopian techno-thriller. The trailer premiered via USA Today and has since made its way to YouTube.

Adapted from Dave Eggers’ 2013 bestseller and directed by James Ponsoldt (The End of the Tour), The Circle stars Emma Watson as Mae, a young and ambitious college grad who is hired by The Circle, an internet giant changing the world by way of big data. Its CEO is Tom Hanks, a Steve Jobs-like corporate messiah who preaches transparency in the manner of a cult leader. “Knowing is good, but knowing everything is better,” he asserts, creeping out everyone but his devoted flock. Watson rises fast through those ranks, though she appears to have her doubts.

Watson replaced Alicia Vikander of Ex Machina fame, who was originally intended to star as Mae before opting instead for a role in the latest Jason Bourne film. John Boyega and Karen Gillan also figure into The Circle’s cast as two of Mae’s coworkers, though their characters aren’t given much screen time in this initial clip. Between its undercurrents of fear and paranoia, its sleek near-future dystopia and the ever-presence of social media, the trailer gives off more than couple of Black Mirror vibes, which can only bode well for this film.

The Circle rounds into theaters on April 28, 2017. Watch the first trailer above, and get a sense of The Circle’s terrifying brand of transparency via the film’s website here.