‘Before I Wake’ Trailer: Jacob Tremblay’s Nightmares Come True

If horror films have taught us anything over the last several decades, it’s this: Children are creepy as hell. Such is the case in the trailer for Before I Wake, the new film from Oculus director Mike Flanagan, who takes that adorable kid from Room and turns him into a parent’s worst nightmare — literally.

The first trailer for Before I Wake debuted sometime last year, but after a couple of release delays (due in part to Relativity Media’s bankruptcy), Flanagan’s latest is finally heading to theaters in September. Kate Bosworth and Thomas Jane star in the film as a loving couple who decide to adopt a sweet kid (Room breakout Jacob Tremblay) after suffering the tragic loss of their own little boy. Not long after bringing their newest family member home, the couple discovers that he’s terrified of going to sleep because all of his dreams — and nightmares — come true.

Like Oculus, Flanagan’s new film appears to deal in psychological trickery and a tragic past that comes back to haunt its protagonists quite literally. Aside from a solid cast, I’m not sure the Before I Wake trailer is enough to hook audiences — it just feels too familiar. Here’s the full synopsis:

In this intense and heart pounding supernatural thriller, Jessie (Kate Bosworth) and Mark (Thomas Jane) decide to take in a sweet and loving 8-year-old boy, Cody.  Unbeknownst to them, Cody is terrified of falling asleep. At first, they assume his previous unstable homes caused his aversion to sleep, but soon discover why: Cody’s dreams manifest in reality as he sleeps. In one moment they experience the incredible wonder of Cody’s imagination, and in the next, the horrific nature of his night terrors. To save their new family, Jessie and Mark embark on a dangerous hunt to uncover the truth behind Cody’s nightmares.

Before I Wake also stars Dash Mihok and Annabeth Gish, and hits theaters on September 9.