Longlegs’ Long-Awaited Teaser Oozes Slow-Burn Horror Mystery

Filmmaker Osgood Perkins (Gretel & Hansel) teams up with Neon for Longlegs, which has created hype using creepy teases of the horror thriller to lead up to its first trailer. The film stars Maika Monroe (It Follows) as an FBI agent tracking down a serial killer played by Nicolas Cage (Dream Scenario) whose crimes seemingly give off some satanic supernatural vibes.

Take a look at the trailer below—those who’ve been following the movie’s enigmatic marketing will notice it ties together the glimpses we’ve seen so far of Longlegs lore.

While we don’t quite see a lot of Nic Cage’s mysterious killer yet, you can feel and hear his presence throughout—like his super-creepy heavy breathing at the end. It’s giving Silence of the Lambs meets Zodiac but with more of a horror tinge that permeates the unsettling occult imagery of every frame we’re getting to see so far. (Also, what’s up with the T. Rex “teeth of the hydra” lyrical reference?)

It’s great to still feel in the dark about a movie and just let the intrigue get our butts into movie theater seats without depending on Cage’s star power. Not knowing who he is in the trailer or revealing him just builds more anticipation for his take on a killer. Here are the four unsettlingly obscure Longlegs posters Neon released earlier this week, to further haunt your imagination.

Longlegs opens July 12.

Want more io9 news? Check out when to expect the latest Marvel, Star Wars, and Star Trek releases, what’s next for the DC Universe on film and TV, and everything you need to know about the future of Doctor Who.