Gus Van Sant’s ‘Promised Land’ Trailer Starring Matt Damon

Here’s the first trailer and poster for Gus Van Sant‘s latest film Promised Land, which stars Matt Damon as a natural gas representative visiting a small farming community in order to acquire drilling rights on their land. If this doesn’t sound like the most interesting premise for a film, check out the amazing documentary Gasland, and you might change your mind. The film also stars John Krasinski, Frances McDormand, Rosemarie DeWitt, Hal Holbrook, Scoot McNairy, and Titus Welliver. Hit the jump for the synopsis, trailer, and poster.

Mr. Damon plays Steve Butler, a corporate salesman who arrives in a rural town with his sales partner, Sue Thomason (Ms. McDormand). With the town having been hit hard by the economic decline of recent years, the two outsiders see the local citizens as likely to accept their company’s offer, for drilling rights to their properties, as much-needed relief. What seems like an easy job for the duo becomes complicated by the objection of a respected schoolteacher (Mr. Holbrook) with support from a grassroots campaign led by another man (Mr. Krasinski) who counters Steve both personally and professionally.