The excitement over the first installment of the Divergent trilogy is turning into such a fan frenzy that even the trailer is getting teased.
An action-packed clip from the upcoming film, based on the best-selling novel by Veronica Roth, aired on Jimmy Kimmel Live! on Monday night, ahead of Tuesday’s unveiling of the full preview.
Set in a futuristic Chicago and starring Shailene Woodley and Theo James, the adventure is is being touted as the next Hunger Games, and its stars made a dramatic entrance via zipline, looking a little shaken as they touched down to chat with Kimmel.
When asked if that is something they do in the movie, Shailene replied, “No, we just do it in life. Traffic is just insane.”
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British actor James is best known for his role in Downton Abbey. “I had a big wig on. It was 20 minutes of…yeah. Can you imagine actually dying, mid…you know,” he said, while trying to politely explain how he died “after making love to Lady Mary,” as Kimmel described his demise.
Divergence tells the story of Beatrice “Tris” Prior (Woodley), who challenges the authoritarian leadership of the city, which is divided into five factions: Abnegation (for the selfless); Amity (for the peaceful); Candor (meant for the honest); Dauntless (for the brave); and Erudite (for the knowledgeable).
Those citizens who fail to be categorized are dubbed as “divergents,” and when Tris uncovers a conspiracy to destroy the outcasts, she sets out to discover why they are deemed a threat to society.
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“You have to think about it and contemplate how it will change your career and your life, but by the same token, you don’t know what anything will be, and you can’t predict the future,” said James.
Woodley added that “the lack of anonymity is the biggest factor, taking on a movie like this, but you never know.”
In the special sneak peek, Tris reveals in a voiceover: “A hundred years ago our founders created a system they thought would create lasting peace. They divided society into five factions. Everyone is tested to determine who we are and where we belong.”
But Tris is an exception. “It is not impossible, it is just extremely rare — you are able to control and conquer your fears, they call it divergent,” she is told. “You don’t fit into a category, they can’t control you. You can’t trust anyone.”
“Fear doesn’t shut you down, it wakes you up, that’s what makes you dangerous,” James’ character, Four, later tells her.
Directed by Neil Burger from a screenplay by Evan Daugherty and Vanessa Taylor, the film also stars Kate Winslet, Ansel Elgort, Miles Teller, Jai Courtney, Ashley Judd, Zoe Kravitz and Maggie Q.
Divergent opens in theaters on March 21. Watch the teaser below.
