Predicated on the success of such films as Snow White and the Huntsman, Mirror Mirror and the Television series Grimm we get a peek into another fairy tale turned Hollywood glamorfest in Jack the Giant Slayer (no longer a non-PC killer). The feature trailer is out and at first look is pretty impressive.

You’ve got Bryan Singer Directing, who will eternally be dear to my heart because of The Usual Suspects, but is probably better known for the X-Men series at this point. The movie stars great character actors in Ewan McGregor, Ian McShane and Stanley Tucci, and rising young stars in Eleanor Tomlinson and Nicholas Hoult. Sounds like a recipe for success especially with Singer collaborator Christopher McQuarie, The Usual Suspects and Valkyrie, on board with screenplay credits.

The story, of course, is a jacked up version of Jack and the Beanstalk resplendent with magic beans and everything. Bryan Singer must have liked Nicholas Hoult’s work as Beast in the X-Men prequels as he gets the starring role in this film as Jack, whom apparently eventually slays some Giants. Speaking of reunions Ewan McGregor, the king’s right hand man, is reunited with Trainspotting cohort Ewen Bremner whom I must assume is playing a Giant with an indecipherable Welsh accent. Ian McShane, the famously bilesome ‘Al Swearengen‘, is the king of this realm and it is his daughter, the princess (Tomlinson) who finds herself up the beanstalk, as it were,  in need of rescue. Tucci gets the role of the villain it seems, a human cohort of the Giants who riles them to take back the realm of men.

Altogether in scope and cast this film seems to have a lot going for it despite the absurdity of it’s subject. The Giants look pretty impressive, but like all things special effectery you hope they don’t get too much in the way of the storyline. It’s going to be a bit of a wait for anyone who’s genuinely excited about this project as it isn’t scheduled for release until the Summer of next year, but I would expect to see this trailer or an updated one featured on the big screen before any screening of The Hobbit this Christmas.