'Interstellar' Looks Rad, But What is it about?

Patience is a virtue, but when it comes to waiting for more (read: ANY) details about Christopher Nolan's Interstellar to drop, we are endlessly restless. The film's lead, Matthew McConaughey, has been notoriously tight-lipped about the premise, and Nolan himself won't offer fans as much of a kernel of a clue, except for that very ambiguous trailer that landed in December. So let's take a look at what we do know about the film, set to be released in November.

1. It's nationalistic and optimistic

From opening shots of the teaser trailer, we know the film takes place, at least in part, in an agriculture heavy area of America, where corn fields are plentiful and farming is essential. We see historical shots of the dust bowl farmers, shuttle launches and a moon landing. McConaughey narrates: "We’ve always defined ourselves by the ability to overcome the impossible."

2. It has something to do with the solar system

The word "Interstellar" means: "occurring or situated between stars." Granted, this could be a metaphorical or literal title, but considering the IMDB plot description, we'll assume the latter.

3. It revolves around time travel

IMDB's description of the film's plot states: "A group of explorers make use of a newly discovered wormhole to surpass the limitations on human space travel and conquer the vast distances involved in an interstellar voyage."

4. It stars big time Hollywood A-listers

Although they appear no where in the trailer, those billed for the film include several Oscar-nominated actors such as: Anne Hathaway, Jessica Chastain, Ellen Burstyn, not to mention Topher Grace, Wes Bentley, Casey Affleck, and Michael Caine.

5. It's Nolan's Most Ambitious Project

While it's hard to believe that the man behind films such as Inception and The Dark Knight series is working on something more determined, McConaughey claims it is so: "Here’s what I can tell you. It’s the most ambitious thing he’s ever done. And he’s done some ambitious stuff,” McConaughey told Variety. “There’s no fucking around on set. He’s a great problem solver. In that way, he’s very indie. Here’s a guy who could have whatever budget he wants."

6. The Finished Product Met Nolan's Expectations

McConaughey divulged " ...we finished shooting early," to Variety, and we can only assume good things. In Hollywood, finishing a film on time, early at that, is unheard of. Clearly Nolan must have been pleased with the work of his cast and crew to wrap early, or at least, that's what we'd like to believe.

7. It's Nolan's first film since The Dark Knight Rises

Can you name a single Christopher Nolan film that wasn't exceptional? And no, movies that he co-produced, like Man of Steel, don't count. Although it's been nearly two years since The Dark Knight Rises wrapped up the Batman trilogy in theatres, Nolan's projects, while few and far between, rarely disappoint audiences, critics, or box office sales. We can only assume Interstellar will possess the same cinematic potential.

Watch the first trailer for Interstellar below:

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