‘Annihilation’ Trailer: Natalie Portman Works Alien Biology In Alex Garland’s ‘Ex Machina’ Follow-Up

“Can you describe its form?” “No.” Uh-oh. The questions don’t get much easier from there in the first teaser trailer for Annihilation, writer-director Alex Garland’s follow-up to Ex Machina that stars Natalie Portman. Check it out above.

Something has done something to the husband (Oscar Isaac) of the Biologist (Portman), and whatever it is, it appears to be quite sinister. In an effort to save him, she volunteers for a secret mission into alien territory — a cordoned-off forest where a shape-shifting, Aurora Borealis-looking being awaits. Seems that previous attempts to explore the area met with disastrous results.

Tessa Thompson, Jennifer Jason Leigh and Gina Rodriguez co-star in the pic Garland adapted from the first book in Jeff VanderMeer’s bestselling Southern Reach Trilogy. The filmmaker had penned such pics as 28 Days Later and Dredd before making his directing debut with the AI-themed Ex Machina, which earned him an Adapted Screenplay Oscar nom and won for Best Visual Effects. It also won a slew of British International Film Awards in 2015.

Paramount Pictures will release Skydance’s Annihilation wide on February 23. Have a look at the eerie trailer and tell us what you think.