As easy as it has been for some people to downplay the covid-19 pandemic as part of putting it behind them, Ari Aster’s next feature looks like a sobering reminder of how bad things really were.

Set in May of 2020, Eddington revolves around sheriff Joe Cross (Joaquin Phoenix) and mayor Ted Garcia (Pedro Pascal) as the two become embroiled in a bitter war. With the pandemic raging and protests occurring across the city after a murder, tensions are already high in Eddington, Texas. But the town is even more on edge after Cross assaults a protester and goes on television to insist that he was in the right.

It’s clear from the trailer’s stream of social media posts that Cross’ violence turns him into a different kind of public figure. His wife Louise (Emma Stone) wants nothing to do with him and the people of Eddington appear ready to riot in order to get him out of office. But with Garcia running for reelection, Cross could be exactly the sort of villain he needs as a foil to really sell himself as the right pick.

After the surreality of Beau Is Afraid , Eddington feels like it’ll be one of Aster’s more grounded, accessible stories. But when the film his theaters on July 18th, there’s a solid chance it’s going to leave us all with an unsettling sense of deja vu.