Netflix has just released the trailer for its upcoming film, The Dig.
This Second World War period drama is set to star Lily James, Carey Mulligan, and Ralph Fiennes.
The Dig is a dramatized adaptation of a novel by John Preston that explores the most famous archaeological dig in modern British history: “the discovery of an Anglo-Saxon burial ship at Sutton Hoo, known as ‘Britain’s Tutankhamun‘.”
The trailer begins in 1939, just months before the outbreak of the Second World War, with wealthy widow Edith Pretty (Carey Mulligan) hiring the amateur archaeologist Basil Brown (Ralph Fiennes) to begin excavation on the burial mounds lining her estate in the country. The trailer informs us that due to the war and national pressures, no museums are willing to embark on a new project, leaving Edith with the help of Basil.
As the trailer progresses, the excavation workforce expands from that of Mr. Brown to a group of dedicated and passionate men and women eager to discover more of this British mystery. As they locate the skeleton of this Viking ship, museum authorities and the media begin to hound the estate, looking for the latest scoop. We are reminded of the pressures faced by the excavators to discover as much as they possibly can before they are conscripted to war.
Peggy Preston (Lily James) is an archaeologist who, by the looks of the trailer, appears to develop a romantic relationship with a fellow digger. As the war approaches and the men are expected to attend to frontline duties, Peggy Preston and her comrades are seemingly left with angst and expectation for the return of their men.
The Dig marks Lily James’ second Netflix film in the past couple of months, with James also playing the role of Mrs. de Winter in the adaptation of Dame Daphne du Maurier’s Rebecca.
Based on a true story, this trailer gives us a flavour of Britain’s rich history and the proud moments we have experienced.
The Dig will be released on Netflix on 29 January 2021.
Words by Maddy Raine
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