A new trailer for the Detroit-set action thriller “Motor City” debuted online on Thursday, previewing a largely wordless, ’70s crime story built around revenge—and timed to hit theaters on July 24.
A new trailer for “Motor City” landed online on Thursday, and it doesn’t waste time on explanations. The film’s message is blunt—revenge speaks louder than words—and it arrives with the kind of momentum you feel more than hear.
The Detroit-set action thriller, which is due out in theaters next month, is rolling in on July 24. The trailer, largely wordless, sets the scene for a ’70s-set crime caper and frames the story as something carried by movement, not speeches.
Alan Ritchson leads the cast as John Miller, a man seeking revenge after he’s released from prison. The film stars Shailene Woodley. Pablo Schreiber and Ben Foster as well. and it leans into action as the main language—only a few words of dialogue appear. with the rest left to the tension of what happens next.
Music does much of the work in the trailer too. It features Bill Withers’ “Lovely Day” before transitioning into Jack White’s “Archbishop Harold Holmes.” White also provides the film’s score, while the soundtrack includes songs by David Bowie, Donna Summer, Fleetwood Mac, the Moody Blues and more.
Behind the camera, “Motor City” is directed by Potsy Ponciroli, known for “Greedy People.” The project first debuted in 2025 at the Venice International Film Festival, and it also played at the 2025 Toronto International Film Festival.
The Detroit look isn’t coming from Detroit alone. The movie was shot in 2024 in northern New Jersey. which stands in for the city at the center of the story. That choice sits right alongside what the trailer is promising: a return to a specific time and place. delivered through crime-era atmosphere rather than dialogue.
Before viewers settle in, there’s another warning attached. The Motion Picture Association rates “Motor City” R for strong bloody violence, some grisly images, drug content, sexuality/nudity and language.
An earlier trailer for the movie debuted online in May, but this latest one is the clearest signal yet of what the film is built to do: keep the focus on revenge, strip away most of the talk, and let the action carry the plot toward July 24.
Motor City Alan Ritchson Shailene Woodley Jack White John Miller Detroit-set action thriller July 24 Venice Film Festival Toronto Film Festival