Books Are Burning In First Fahrenheit 451 Film Teaser

We could make any number of fire-based puns to usher in the intense first teaser for HBO's upcoming Fahrenheit 451 film, like "it's going to be lit," or "things are really heating up," but we'll keep it simple and say that it'll undoubtedly ignite your excitement. (Sorry, we couldn't resist.)

HBO has just unveiled the fiery first look at Fahrenheit 451, the Michael B. Jordan-led adaptation of Ray Bradbury's 1953 novel of the same name. The footage opens on a book (Fyodor Dostoyevsky's Crime and Punishment) burning in the hands of an unseen individual. It's likely Jordan's Montag who's holding the novel, since he's the young fireman tasked with burning every book he encounters–and seeking out ones he hasn't yet seen and torching them to the ground. Eventually, Montag turns his back on the world he knows and goes toe-to-toe with his near-inhumane mentor, fire captain Beatty, played by Michael Shannon. 

Moments later, we see Montag drop Crime and Punishment, now glowing red and orange with flames, on top of a pile of books that includes Vladimir Nabokov's Lolita and J.D. Salinger's The Catcher in the Rye. Another man, presumably Beatty, enters the scene with a flamethrower in his hands, and lights the stack of hardcovers and paperbacks on fire.

Check it out in the video above. 

Directed by 99 Homes helmer Ramin Bahrani from a script he co-wrote with Vegas: Based on a True Story director Amir Naderi, Fahrenheit 451 follows Bradbury's source material closely, portraying a terrifying dystopian future that distorts reality, rewrites history, and pushes media onto a pedestal. The Mummy and Kingsman: The Secret Service actress Sofia Boutella joins Jordan and Shannon for the film, playing Clarissa, an informant stuck in the middle of Montag and Beatty's conflicting interests. Bad Moms star Lilly Singh is also attached, portraying Raven, a tabloid reporter who partners with the fire department to spread the book-burning propaganda to as many people as possible. 

Fahrenheit 451 is expected to hit HBO this spring.