The Weeknd Plays a Complicated Idol in ‘Hurry Up Tomorrow’ Trailer

The Weeknd celebrated the launch of his film Hurry Up Tomorrow‘s second trailer by gracing the stage at CinemaCon. During Lionsgate’s presentation of the new film, the music icon played his hit “Blinding Lights” and a pair of songs from the film’s album.

Shortly after the performance, the Weeknd released the film’s second trailer online, ahead of its May 16 drop. The preview for the Trey Edward Shults-directed movie sees star Jenna Ortega running out of an abandoned building before lighting it on fire. The Weeknd is then shown onscreen as he takes the stage before locking eyes with Ortega in the crowd ahead of a glimpse of their seeming love story.

“I know this is really intense but I’m not trying to hurt you,” Ortega tells the Weeknd. “You are hurting yourself and you are hurting everyone around you … something has to change.” The trailer teases an emotional the Weeknd in a bathtub, a car escape, more concerts, and a house on fire. At the end of the two-minute look, he’s seen being kidnapped as Ortega sets down a lighter, and a tear falls from his eye.

During Tuesday’s surprise presentation at CinemaCon, the Weeknd played both “Open Hearts” and “Cry for Me” from the film’s album. He closed the set with “Blinding Lights,” his biggest hit. “I can’t believe it, looking at Mark Hamill right now,” he said during “Blinding Lights,” according to several journalists in the audience, including Variety. “The Force is with you.”

The Weeknd first announced the film project in December, and described it as a “musically driven psychological thriller,” also starring Barry Keoghan. He released an album of the same name in January.

The film shares a title with his sixth full-length album, which he released in January. The album marks the third part of a trilogy, following 2020’s After Hours and 2022’s Dawn FM. Hurry Up Tomorrow features collaborations with Justice, Florence + the Machine, Future, Giorgio Moroder, and Lana Del Rey, with Rolling Stone calling it “dazzling and frustrating, with moments of lyrical clarity and sonic density that stand out amidst the heavy-hearted reflections and even heavier synths.”

From Rolling Stone US.