‘Downsizing’ Trailer: Matt Damon Gets Small, And Discovers A Big New World

Alexander Payne’s satire Downsizing drew plaudits when it opened the Venice Film Festival two weeks ago, and today Paramount has dropped the first full trailer. The film takes the premise of how much better our lives could be if we were to miniaturize (think dollhouse mansions, conflict-free diamonds for a couple of dollars…) and sets it within the context of being a solution to overpopulation and climate change.

Matt Damon stars as a man who opts to get small — shrinking down to five inches tall — and embarks on an eye-opening journey from a decidedly different point of view. Christoph Waltz, Hong Chau, Udo Kier, Kristen Wiig and Jason Sudeikis also star.

The smart adult comedy is Payne’s most ambitious work to date in terms of its scope and the use of visual effects (check out a look at the actual downsizing process in the trailer above). But, the big-picture question hovering over the future of the planet is woven in with a human and personal story that charts the characters’ journeys. The movie also incorporates several languages and locations.

Of his role as the everyman whose life changes so drastically, Damon told the Venice press, “I love that it shows a relatable character whose life is different than our own but who we can find a common cause with.”

Paramount has a December 22 domestic release set, with some offshore markets beginning rollout simultaneously.