Another look at Nicole Kidman and Melissa McCarthy in the upcoming Hulu drama Nine Perfect Strangers was released via Good Morning America on Thursday.
The series — which is based on Liane Moriarty’s book of the same title — follows nine desperate souls in search of healing at a retreat led by wellness guru Kidman, who leads a particularly grueling course.
Throughout the span of the thrilling trailer guests including McCarthy are seen going increasingly mad at the hands of Kidman’s character Masha and its apparent that there’s something sinister brewing.
First look: The official trailer for the Nicole Kidman led Hulu series Nine Perfect Strangers was released on Thursday ahead of its August 18 premiere
Desperate: The drama follows nine desperate strangers who seek help from a wellness guru Kidman at a retreat before things take a turn
The series comes from the creators behind The Undoing and Big Little Lies, which is based on Moriarty’s books.
The nearly three-minute trailer opens with McCarthy getting a vague rundown about the 10-day retreat which is set in a very secluded wooded area.
Hoping to become the ‘2.0’ version of herself she embarks on a journey along with eight other strangers including Regina Hall (Girls Trip), Samara Weaving (Ready Or Not), Bobby Cannavale (Thunder Force) and Luke Evans (Beauty And The Beast).
‘Apparently I’m in need of some fixing,’ Melissa’s voice says as she gears up for what is sure to be a very unforgettable stay.
Secluded: The 10-day retreat takes place at a destination called Tranquillum House run by Kidman’s character Masha
Final attempt: The guests seemed to have exhausted all possibilities which leads them to the retreat
Healer: ‘When people come here, they come to heal,’ her character’s Masha voice entices
The group is quickly introduced to cult-like healer Kidman who welcomes them to Tranquillum House in a billowy white dress.
‘When people come here, they come to heal,’ her character’s Masha voice entices.
And the trailer continues to foreshadow some extreme measures that will be taken. ‘I don’t want to suffer,’ McCarthy says, to which Masha replies ‘You’re already suffering.’
McCarthy seems more open to embrace the experience than others including Evans who calls wellness retreats ‘bullsh**t’ and Cannavale’s character who begrudgingly says ‘lets go meditate.’
Meditation: The wellness guru puts them through a rigorous 10-day experience to unpack trauma
2.0: All the participants are hoping to get rid of personal demons caused by traumatic events in their life
Under her spell: Cannavale’s character is resistant to the retreat but Masha quickly gets her claws into him
Pushed to the edge: ‘Is Masha bats**t, or is she the real deal?,’ her character asks at one point
One sequence shows the nine guests laying in graves they dug for themselves before dirt is shoveled over them, as Masha beckons ‘surrender yourself to me.’
It quickly comes to be revealed that the group was hand selected — not of their own free will — as Evans character (who seems to know more than he’s letting on) says they all ‘compliment each other’s demons.’
Adding a comedic flare McCarthy says that the whole thing could end up being a ‘real s**t show’ before things quickly get out of control. Cannavale says Kidman needed people that were so desperate they would try ‘anything’ that she wanted.
‘This is a particularly volatile group — lets start the protocol,’ Kidman menacingly says as she seems to pick up on the group’s resistance to follow her lead.
Digging their own grave: One sequence shows the nine guests laying in graves they dug for themselves before dirt is shoveled over them, as Masha beckons ‘surrender yourself to me’
Extreme measures: Adding a comedic flare McCarthy says that the whole thing could end up being a ‘real s**t show’ before things quickly get out of control
Ramping it up: ‘This is a particularly volatile group — lets start the protocol,’ Kidman menacingly says as she seems to pick up on the group’s resistance to follow her lead
Losing it: In a timelapse scanning all the characters they are seen with dazed looks in their eyes, yelling, cackling uncontrollably and even crashing cars
Deviant: Throughout the course of the trailer Masha ramps up the intensity and becomes more menacing
In a timelapse scanning all the characters they are seen with dazed looks in their eyes, yelling, cackling uncontrollably and even crashing cars.
And in true Moriarty fashion, things eventually culminate in some sort of disaster as police cars come rushing to the retreat.
The limited series — which streams August 18 — also stars Michael Shannon (Boardwalk Empire), Tiffany Boone (Hunters), Manny Jacinto (The Good Place), Melvin Gregg (American Vandal), Asher Keddie (Offspring) and Grace Van Patten (Maniac).
Thriller: The series is based off the book by Big Little Lies author Moriarty and her work is full of twists and turns