The gay Western short film Strange Way of Life has been adapted for the big screen by Pedro Pascal and Ethan Hawke, and the first trailer was released on Wednesday.
The new film has been compared to Brokeback Mountain and is expected to be a replica of the iconic narrative.
Strange Way of Life was directed by Pedro Almodóvar, who was previously offered the opportunity to direct Jake Gyllenhaal and Heath Ledger’s 2006 feature.
The creative director apparently declined because he was not certain that he would be granted complete creative control over the project.
On an episode of Dua Lipa: At Your Service, the director said: ‘This is a queer western in the sense that there are two men, and they love each other, and they behave in that situation in an opposite way.
‘What I can tell you about the film is that it has a lot of the elements of the Western. It has the gunslinger. It has the ranch. It has the sheriff.
‘But what it has that most Westerns don’t have is the kind of dialogue that I don’t think a Western film has ever captured between two men. And now I think I’m telling you too much.’
The forthcoming film chronicles the narrative of Pascal’s cowboy character Silva as he journeys through the desert on horseback to see an old buddy he hasn’t seen in 25 years, Sheriff Jake, played by Ethan.
Watch our brand new trailer for Pedro Almodóvar’s STRANGE WAY OF LIFE, starring Ethan Hawke and Pedro Pascal and screening out of competition in #Cannes2023. ðŸ¤
Coming soon to Italy and Latin America. A MUBI Release. pic.twitter.com/TMtWumVMTt
— MUBI (@mubi) April 26, 2023
In the newly released film, the two Hollywood A-listers appear on screen as their roles as the two men begin to unravel their shocking romantic past with one another.
The Western film will premiere at this year’s Cannes Film Festival in May.
Fans raced to Twitter to respond to the new video and express their delight at seeing The Last of Us star in his new role.
One sceptical viewer wrote: ‘It feels a bit like they are spoofing a soap opera or something even though it is listed as a drama on Letterboxd, but I don’t care. I’m there for this [sic].’
Another said: ‘strange way of life isn’t even out yet and i already want a spin off/sequel where it’s a lesbian western movie and it’s just as (if not more so) filled with queer yearning and love and drama pls pls pls i’d happily play one of the main characters as well [sic].’
‘cannot believe they finally let el Pedro make a movie in hollwood and its A WESTERN [sic],’ an excited fan typed online.
