Dual Trailer: It's Karen Gillan Vs. Karen Gillan
Director Riley Stearns is the kind of creative whose movies garner critical acclaim, serve as film festival darlings, and allow actors to play characters beyond what they're typically given by Hollywood. And yet he hasn't been able to make the jump to become a household name. It's still up for debate whether or not his third film, "Dual" will help bridge the gap, but with Karen Gillan ("Doctor Who," "Guardians of the Galaxy," "Jumanji: Welcome to the Jungle"), Beulah Koale ("Hawaii Five-O," "Thank You For Your Service," "NCIS: Hawai'i"), Theo James ("Divergent," "Underworld: Blood Wars," "Archive"), and Aaron Paul ("Breaking Bad," "BoJack Horseman," "Westworld") starring in this sci-fi black comedy, this one might be his ticket to the big time. Check out the film's official synopsis from RLJE Films below.
Upon receiving a terminal diagnosis, Sarah (Karen Gillan) opts for a cloning procedure to ease her loss on her friends and family. When she makes a sudden and miraculous recovery, her attempts to decommission her clone fail, leading to a court-mandated duel to the death. Now, she has one year to train her mind and body for the fight of her life.
This may sound like a lost episode of "Black Mirror" but in the hands of someone like Riley Stearns, you can take solace knowing that even with a plot as existentially bleak as this one, "Dual" is sure to be a hell of a lot of dry, sardonic, fun.
The trailer for Dual
What is it about coming face to face with our own mortality that makes us crave the monotony of average living? The idea of clones or doppelgangers replacing us is nothing new, having been explored in classics like "Invasion of the Body Snatchers" or contemporary indie flicks like "+1," but the world Stearns crafted is not one of excess or greatness, it's just ... life. The premise may sound similar to Benjamin Cleary's brilliant "Swan Song" from last year, but rest assured Stearns takes the clones-as-grief-healing in a completely different direction. "Dual" poses some deeply epistemological questions about not just life, but existence as an entire philosophical concept.
Gillan is also pulling a hat trick of playing opposite of herself, having performed as past and present Nebula in "Avengers: Endgame" and the good and evil versions of the character Kaylie in Mike Flanagan's cursed-mirror horror film, "Oculus." There's no denying that Gillan has more than proven her ability to tackle dual roles in the same film, and combining her talents with the gifts of Riley Stearns looks to have made some magic.
"Dual" is currently scheduled to be released in theaters on April 15, 2022.