It’s All About the Optics for Elisabeth Moss and Kate Hudson in the ‘Shell’ Trailer [Exclusive]

Hollywood’s intense age discrimination is catching up with Elisabeth Moss in Collider’s exclusive first look at the trailer for her latest film, Shell. The project serves as a reunion between the leading lady and her The Handmaid’s Tale co-star, Max Minghella, as the latter celebrates his sophomore foray into feature-length filmmaking with the title. Also starring Kate Hudson (How to Lose a Guy in 10 Days), the Jack Stanley (The Passenger)-penned film focuses its attention on the wild lengths that some might go through to keep themselves newborn in the eyes of their peers and those in power.

Samantha Lake (Moss) has it all at the top of the trailer for Shell. A talented performer, the famed actress delivers a killer monologue filled with emotion before it’s revealed that she’s auditioning for a part that the casting team views as a little bit too newborn for her. But, that’s okay, because her team has just the thing to keep her relevant — a pairing with wellness mogul Zoe Shannon (Hudson) that promises to turn her life — and tanking career — around. Suddenly, Samantha is back on top, raking in roles and sponsorships left and right, but soon she discovers there’s something much more sinister at play.

Joining the dynamite force of Moss and Hudson in the title’s ensemble is a lineup that includes Arian Moayed (Succession), Este Haim (Licorice Pizza), Elizabeth Berkley (Showgirls) and Kaia Gerber (Bottoms). Additionally, both Moss and Minghella serve as producers alongside Fred Berger, Brian Kavanaugh-Jones, Lindsey McManus, Hal Sadoff, Norman Golightly and Alicia Van Couvering. Shell serves as Minghella’s second dip into directing following his 2018 musical drama, Teen Spirit, which featured Elle Fanning and Rebecca Hall in leading roles.

Max Minghella and Elisabeth Moss’ Long-Running Relationship

For nearly a decade, Minghella and Moss appeared opposite one another on Hulu’s hit series The Handmaid’s Tale. The pair’s characters had a rocky relationship that faced an explosive ending when the title’s small-screen run came to an end earlier this year. Although their Handmaid’s Tale personas may have gone through tumultuous ups and downs, the animated between Moss and Minghella couldn’t be any more amiable and collaborative. With Shell, the pair were able to work on something completely different while still flexing their innovative muscles.

Check out our exclusive first look at the trailer for Shell and see it in select cinemas and on digital October 3.

Shell

Release Date

September 13, 2024

Runtime

100 minutes

Director

Max Minghella

Writers

Jack Stanley

Producers

Alicia Van Couvering, Elisabeth Moss, Jamie Bell, Jared Underwood, Norman Golightly, Rene Bastian, Fred Berger, Hal Sadoff, Victor Moyers, Brian Kavanaugh-Jones, Teddy Schwarzman, John Friedberg, Andrew C. Robinson, Lindsey McManus, Danny Mandel