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The new trailer for Mortal Instruments: The City of Bones is just days away, and star Lily Collins promises fans “heart pumping action,” “great music” and “high energy” with the latest preview.
“It ends, and you have to watch it again because there’s so much packed into the trailer,” the actress tells The Hollywood Reporter. “The first time I watched it, I asked to watch it three other times just ‘cause it’s so much that happens, it’s like a whirlwind.”
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Starring Collins, Jamie Campbell Bower, Robert Sheehan, Jonathan Rhys Meyers and Lena Headey, among others, the film is based on Cassandra Clare’s YA novel and tells the story of a teenager (Collins) who comes to learn of her own supernatural powers after her mother (Headey) is kidnapped by a demon.
“As well as hopefully pleasing the fans of the series, I think we’re going to invite new people in and make them obsessed with the story as well,” Collins says. “I couldn’t be prouder of the project. I’m so excited for people to see it. I really think Harald [Zwart, the director] did an amazing job of taking what could’ve been a CGI-heavy, action-packed film and really made it about heart and character and emotion. Special effects are just the icing on top.”
The film is slated to hit theaters on Aug. 23 with the second trailer and a new poster to be revealed at WonderCon on Saturday, March 30. It will be available online April 1. (A first preview was released in November and can be watched here.)
Collins was among the first signed on for the project when it was optioned in 2010, but the years that followed were filled with shake-ups, including the departure of director Scott Charles Stewart. The puzzle pieces eventually fell into place, though, and production began in August 2012.
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As one of the few consistent supporters of the project, Collins says she felt vindicated when filming got underway after a series of setbacks. (Since signing on for City of Bones, Collins has gone on to star in Abduction, Mirror Mirror and a pair on indies.)
“I was a fan before I was cast, so it’s something that I’ve been passionate about before really being involved in,” she says. “I believe in the producers at Constantin and I know that they have a really good taste level when it comes to the creative side … I just prayed that it wouldn’t come to the time when they were ready to shoot and I was doing something else.”
City of Bones is the first of a six-book series by Clare. Asked if she’ll be back to reprise her role of Clary, Collins says she is happily contracted to continue the series, but will be eagerly anticipating a green light on a potential franchise.
“As with any potential franchise, you just leave it up to kind of the fans and to see what happens,” she muses. “I signed on because I love Clary and I would want to play her for as long as I can. At the end of the day, you have to kind of step back and remove yourself and go, ‘OK, well we just have to see what happens’ and you go along with the flow. I think all of us would really love to play characters for as long as the fans will have it.”
In the meantime, Collins is busy promoting her two latest projects: The English Teacher (co-starring Julianne Moore, Nathan Lane and Greg Kinnear) and Stuck in Love (also opposite Kinnear). In May, she will begin filming Love, Rosie in Ireland with The Hunger Games: Catching Fire star Sam Claflin.
Email: Sophie.Schillaci@THR.com; Twitter: @SophieSchillaci
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