Now that director Jon Favreau is finished with Iron Man (for the time being), he's moving on to one of the odder sounding projects of 2011: Cowboys & Aliens. All we really knew about the film from the get-go was that it was based on a comic book about a bunch of cowboys from the Old West who must team up with Indians to fight off an alien attack. Definitely one of the more unique alien movies we've ever seen, and when folks like Daniel Craig (who replaced Robert Downey Jr.), Harrison Ford, Olivia Wilde and Sam Rockwell joined the cast … well, at least my interest was piqued.
DreamWorks has just released a plot synopsis for the film, though, which should plug in a few holes and give us all a better understanding of what could be the biggest film to hit theaters come next summer (it arrives on July 29th, 2011). Check it out below …
1873. Arizona Territory. A stranger (Craig) with no memory of his past stumbles into the hard desert town of Absolution. The only hint to his history is a mysterious shackle that encircles one wrist. What he discovers is that the people of Absolution don't welcome strangers, and nobody makes a move on its streets unless ordered to do so by the iron-fisted Colonel Dolarhyde (Ford). It's a town that lives in fear.
But Absolution is about to experience fear it can scarcely comprehend as the desolate city is attacked by marauders from the sky. Screaming down with breathtaking velocity and blinding lights to abduct the helpless one by one, these monsters challenge everything the residents have ever known.
Now, the stranger they rejected is their only hope for salvation. As this gunslinger slowly starts to remember who he is and where he's been, he realizes he holds a secret that could give the town a fighting chance against the alien force. With the help of the elusive traveler Ella (Olivia Wilde), he pulls together a posse comprised of former opponents—townsfolk, Dolarhyde and his boys, outlaws and Apache warriors—all in danger of annihilation. United against a common enemy, they will prepare for an epic showdown for survival.
What do you think? Are you more excited for Cowboys & Aliens now that you know what it's actually about, or does it just sound too bizarre for you?
