The Testament Of Ann Lee Trailer: Amanda Seyfried Is A Radical Leader In Buzzy Oscar Role

Intrigued audiences can now see the first trailer for The Testament of Ann Lee, creative duo Mona Fastvold and Brady Corbet’s (The Brutalist) prestige offering this season. A period piece and experimental musical biopic, The Testament of Ann Lee depicts the life of the titular character (Amanda Seyfried), the founder of the radical religious Shakers sect in 18th-century England and America.

Following its world premiere at the Venice International Film Festival, The Testament of Ann Lee debuted with a perfect Rotten Tomatoes score, which has since dropped to an 88% critics’ approval rating. Expectations were impossibly high after The Brutalist, but reviewers generally agree that Ann Lee is an expertly-made film with the soundtrack and Seyfried’s performance being the highlights.

Written and directed by Fastvold and co-written by Corbet, The Testament of Ann Lee also stars Thomasin McKenzie, Lewis Pullman, Stacy Martin, Christopher Abbott, and Tim Blake Nelson, and arrives in select theaters on Christmas Day this year, being distributed by Searchlight Pictures. Check out the teaser trailer for The Testament of Ann Lee below:

This teaser focuses primarily on the song and dance that were integral to Ann Lee’s life, allowing the filmmakers to turn this biopic into a unique musical. In addition to their doctrine of absolute celibacy and relatively egalitarian beliefs, the Shakers were known for their cathartic musical worship practices, which are recreated in the movie with the incorporation of real Shaker hymns, in addition to original songs.

Daniel Blumberg, the Oscar-winning composer who crafted the score for The Brutalist, is also behind the music in The Testament of Ann Lee. Moreover, key players in the story are Ann’s brother William Lee (Pullman) and the narrator Mary Partington (McKenzie), two of Ann’s most devout followers, as the Shakers come to believe that she is the Second Coming of Christ.

The Testament of Ann Lee may lose a place in most of the major Oscar categories due to this being an extremely competitive year, but it still stands a chance of being recognized for some crafts, such as Costume, Production, and Sound Design. However, Seyfried is still in the conversation as a 2026 Best Lead Actress contender, competing with Jessie Buckley and Cynthia Erivo.

The Testament of Ann Lee is emerging as the crowning achievement of Amanda Seyfried, who has long been one of the biggest stars of critically acclaimed movie musicals. However, Fastvold’s entry faces a tough box office battle with Marty Supreme and No Other Choice also coming out on Christmas Day. Yet with Ann Lee may still be able to stand on its own and attract audiences who want to witness such a singular film.