HBO has released the first teaser trailer for one of their new original series, The Nevers. Coming to HBO Max in April, The Nevers is a sci-fi drama set in Victorian-era London where many people, mostly women, suddenly manifest abnormal abilities.
The trailer for The Nevers opens with a man expositing the premise of the show over footage of various people with supernatural powers; "It came three years ago. A power that mocks God. Those afflicted...are touched." "The Touched" turns out to be the name given to the people with extraordinary powers. Similar to the X-Men, the trailer reveals that the people with these powers face prejudice in society, with many horrified by them, seeing them as ill or abominations.
The stars of the show are two women who, as some of "The Touched," do not see themselves as afflicted and want to help those like them. Laura Donnelly stars as Amalia True, a mysterious quick-fisted widow, and Ann Skelly stars as Penance Adair, a brilliant young inventor. Mrs. True and Miss Adair can be seen throughout the trailer participating in fight scenes, even in their Victorian-era clothing. Along with physical fight scenes, several characters in the trailer display their abnormal abilities, including actress Rochelle Neil's character's control of fire. Other stars visible in the trailer include James Norton, Ben Chaplin, and Zackary Momoh.
Joss Whedon, the creator behind shows like Buffy The Vampire Slayer and Angel, was the original writer, director, executive producer, and showrunner for The Nevers. He brought on Jane Espenson and Doug Petrie, who worked with him on Buffy The Vampire Slayer, as co-writers on the series along with Laurie Penny, who wrote on The Haunting of Bly Manor. In November 2020, however, after principal photography on the series had been completed, Joss Whedon exited the series, citing exhaustion due to the stress and challenges that came with working on the series during COVID-19. Screenwriter Philippa Goslett has been announced as showrunner after Whedon's departure.
Apart from its original series, HBO Max recently made headlines when it announced it would be partnering with Warner Brothers pictures, releasing their 2021 movies on the streaming service at the same time as they entered theatres. This deal was made due to challenges presented by the COVID-19 pandemic and was met with both support and criticism from the movie industry. Warner Bros. and HBO Max went forward with the decision and released a trailer for their joint 2021 movie releases.
The Nevers will be streaming on HBO Max in April 2021.
Source: HBO | YouTube