The First The First Purge Trailer Shows us How the Bloody Tradition Began

The latest film in one of horror’s most sneakily successful franchises allows us to witness the rise of our country’s 12 hours of annual lawlessness, also known as The Purge—what began as a simple experiment has since become a devastating and bloody movement.

Academy Award winner Marisa Tomei stars in The First Purge, the origin story of the concept-driven horror film franchise. Also starring is Y’Lan Noel (HBO’s Insecure), Lex Scott Davis (CBS’s Training Day), Joivan Wade (BBC’s EastEnders) and Luna Lauren Velez (Showtime’s Dexter).

Universal’s synopsis of the film reads:

To push the crime rate below one percent for the rest of the year, the New Founding Fathers of America (NFFA) test a sociological theory that vents aggression for one night in one isolated community. But when the violence of oppressors meets the rage of the marginalized, the contagion will explode from the trial-city borders and spread across the nation.

Coming off the most successful film in the series, The Purge: Election Year, franchise creator James DeMonaco returns alongside the producers of this worldwide phenomenon: Blumhouse Productions’ Jason Blum (Insidious series, Get Out, Split), Platinum Dunes partners Michael Bay, Brad Fuller and Andrew Form (Teenage Mutant Ninja Turtles and Ouija series, The Texas Chainsaw Massacre), and DeMonaco’s longtime production partner, Sébastien K. Lemercier (Assault on Precinct 13, Four Lovers).

The First Purge is directed by Gerard McMurray (Burning Sands), who’s working from a screenplay once again written by DeMonaco. Experience the crazy-scary first trailer and the film’s new poster below. The previous poster, which resembles something all too relevant in today’s political climate, can be seen here.

The First Purge opens on July 4.