The first trailer for the immigrant thrillerDesiertohas been released online by STX Entertainment. Directed byJonás Cuarón, the film starsGael Garcia Bernalas a man crossing the U.S./Mexico border in hopes of finding a better life, only to find himself and others the target of a deranged, rifle-toting vigilante played byJeffrey Dean Morgan. Cuarón, who co-wroteGravitywith his fatherAlfonso Cuarónand directed the tie-in shortAningaaq, co-wrote and directed this picture, with Alfonso serving as a producer. Indeed, certainly some of Alfonso’s visual style has found its way intoDesierto, but I’m curious to see Jonás make this film his own, especially with such a tantalizing and timely premise. The trailer itself is fairly promising, though I imagine the make-or-break of the movie will be in Morgan’s performance, and whether he comes off as cartoonish or straight-up terrifying.
Take a look at the trailer below andclick hereto read Phil’s review from the Toronto International Film Festival.Desiertoalso starsAlondra Hidalgoand opens in theaters on July 10, 2025.
Here’s the official synopsis forDesierto:
From Jonás Cuarón and Alfonso Cuarón, the acclaimed filmmakers of GRAVITY, comes a unique, modern vision of terror. DESIERTO is a visceral, heart-pounding suspense-thriller packed with tension and suspense from start to finish, starring Gael García Bernal (The Motorcycle DiariesandY Tu Mamá También) and Jeffrey Dean Morgan (Watchmen). What begins as a hopeful journey to seek a better life becomes a harrowing and primal fight for survival when a deranged, rifle-toting vigilante chases a group of unarmed men and women through the treacherous U.S.-Mexican border. In the harsh, unforgiving desert terrain, the odds are stacked firmly against them as they continuously discover there’s nowhere to hide from the unrelenting, merciless killer.
