It’s been quite a while since we first heard rumors about actors like Tom Cruise and Matt Damon, Morgan Freeman, and Kevin Costner starring in a remake of the 1960 western classic The Magnificent Seven for MGM. None of those rumors played out, but the remake still moved forward, and, as promised when we saw the first official images yesterday, a trailer for the movie has been released today.

Though it is technically a teaser trailer, our first look at the movie still runs over two minutes in length and shows plenty of footage. Click on over to the other side to check it out.

SYNOPSIS:

Director Antoine Fuqua brings his modern vision to a classic story in Metro-Goldwyn-Mayer Pictures’ and Columbia Pictures’ The Magnificent Seven. With the town of Rose Creek under the deadly control of industrialist Bartholomew Bogue (Peter Sarsgaard), the desperate townspeople employ protection from seven outlaws, bounty hunters, gamblers and hired guns – Sam Chisolm (Denzel Washington), Josh Farraday (Chris Pratt), Goodnight Robicheaux (Ethan Hawke), Jack Horne (Vincent D’Onofrio), Billy Rocks (Byung-Hun Lee), Vasquez (Manuel Garcia-Rulfo), and Red Harvest (Martin Sensmeier). As they prepare the town for the violent showdown that they know is coming, these seven mercenaries find themselves fighting for more than money.

Many people immediately shake their heads in disapproval when the word “remake” is uttered, and in most cases it’s a fair reaction. Often times they serve no purpose, and sometimes they’re just plain insulting. But then, every now and again, one pleasantly surprises. Call me optimistic, but I’m hoping this is one of those pleasant surprises. Part of that is because I adore westerns and we don’t get enough of them, but there’s also been proof that remakes can work, even within the very same genre. The Coen brothers’ True Grit and 3:10 to Yuma both stand out as examples of this.

How do you think this new remake looks?

The Magnificent Seven will be released on September 23rd. Fuqua previously directed Training Day, which also starred Denzel Washington and Ethan Hawke, The Equalizer starring Washington, and Southpaw.

You can also find the international trailer below, which is a little different.

Trailers

[Source: Sony Pictures Entertainment]