Mia Wasikowska wakes up bloodied and beaten in a new trailer for “Judy & Punch.” “Do you remember what happened to you?” she’s asked. The only way she can respond is with a guttural scream.
A live-action reinterpretation of the 16th-century puppet show, the dark comedy sees Judy (Wasikowska) determined to exact revenge on her abusive husband (Damon Herriman), who left her for dead and destroyed their family.
Despite being told that it doesn’t matter what she says or what actually happened and that she’ll end up dead, Judy refuses to flee her deeply patriarchal seaside town — where women are regularly stoned — and insists on reuniting with Punch to make him pay for what he’s done.
Writer-director Mirrah Foulkes’ described the pic as a “bat-shit crazy origin story about the Punch and Judy puppet show” in an interview with us. “I thought it was historically interesting material and wanted to make something big and fun and weird,” she explained.
“Judy & Punch” made its world premiere at Sundance in January, and is now playing in the U.K. and Australia. A U.S. release date hasn’t been set.
Best known for “Alice in Wonderland” and “Alice Through the Looking Glass,” Wasikowska’s other credits include “Jane Eyre,” “Stoker,” and “The Kids Are All Right.” She stars in “Bergman Island,” Mia Hansen-Løve’s upcoming English-language debut.
