The first trailer forTrain Dreamshas arrived. Directed by Clint Bentley, who co-wrote the script with Greg Kwedar based on the 2011 novella by Denis Johnson, the upcoming film follows a logger working on the railroad in early 20th-century America, causing him to spend significant time away from his family and question his place in a rapidly changing world.
Its star-studded cast includes Golden Globe nomineeJoel Edgerton (Loving), two-time Oscar nominee Felicity Jones (The Brutalist,The Theory of Everything), Emmy nominee Clifton Collins Jr. (Thief), Oscar nominee Kerry Condon (The Banshees of Inisherin), Oscar nominee William H. Macy (Fargo), Chuck Tucker, Paul Schneider, John Diehl, Alfred Hsing, Nathaniel Arcand, Johnny Arnoux, and Will Patton.
Now,Netflixhas released thefirst official teaser trailer forTrain Dreams. In addition to revealing its star-studded cast, the trailer offers a poignant depiction of Robert Grainier (Joel Edgerton), a logger and railroad laborer whose life unfolds with surprising richness and quiet beauty amid the swiftly evolving landscape of early 20th-century America. Watch the trailer below:
What The Train Dreams Trailer Means For The Movie
It’s Netflix’s Biggest Oscar Contender
Though awards season has yet to truly begin,theTrain Dreamstrailer positions it as Netflix’s biggest Oscar contender.Train Dreamspremiered at the 2025 Sundance Film Festivalthis past January, whereTrain Dreams' reviewspraised it as visually stunning, emotionally rich, poetically restrained, deeply human, and a quietly powerful tale of forgotten lives, resulting in a stellar 97% score on Rotten Tomatoes.
TheTrain Dreamstrailer highlights much of the acclaim for the film, with critics calling it “a staggering work of art” featuring “breathtaking visual splendor” and a “career-best performance from Joel Edgerton.” His lead performance is bound to attract some awards-season attention, along with several others, as the cast includes three previous Oscar nominees in Felicity Jones, Kerry Condon, and William H. Macy.
Train Dreamsis also directed by Clint Bentley, who co-wrote the script with Greg Kwedar, the duo having previously received an Oscar nomination for Best Adapted Screenplay forSing Sing.
Our Take On The Train Dreams Trailer
Is It This Year’s Brutalist?
Based on the trailer,Train Dreamscould be this year’s version ofThe Brutalist. Both aregreat American epicsthat explore similar themes regarding identity, dislocation, and reinvention during seismic shifts in the country’s history. Each film frames its protagonist’s struggles against America’s transformation during the early 20th Century, boasting powerhouse performances and visual splendor.
Train Dreamsoffers Edgerton another chance at a great American epic.
Interestingly enough, Joel Edgerton was originally cast inThe Brutalistas László Tóthbefore eventually being replaced by Adrien Brody, who won his second Academy Award for the performance. Felicity Jones also starred as his wife, Erzsébet Tóth, and received her second Oscar nod. Now,Train Dreamsoffers Edgerton another chance at a great American epic.
