IFC Films has unveiled the official trailer for Tornado, a gripping revenge western set in 1790s Scotland. Equal parts a British period drama and a coming of age story, the film received its world premiere at the Glasgow Film Festival.
Directed and penned by John Maclean (Slow West), the film follows a young Japanese woman, Tornado (Kōki), who embarks on a dangerous quest for revenge after her father is murdered by a ruthless gang.
Traveling with her father’s puppet Samurai show, Tornado’s life takes a violent turn when they cross paths with Sugarman (Tim Roth) and his son Little Sugar (Jack Lowden), criminals fresh off a heist. In a bid to escape and avenge her father’s death, Tornado steals their stolen gold, setting off a high-stakes race for survival.
John Maclean, a founding member of the Beta Band, began his career making music promos with budgets ranging from zero to £70,000. In 2009, he wrote his first short film, Man on a Motorcycle, starring Michael Fassbender, who would later appear in Maclean’s subsequent works, including Pitch Black Heist and his debut feature, Slow West. After proving his skill in the western genre, Maclean sought to adapt it to 18th-century Britain, noting the similarities between 1790s Britain and 1860s America—both wild, lawless, and on the brink of change, with the law and the industrial revolution on the horizon.
With its blend of gripping suspense, a fierce female lead, and a compelling coming-of-age story, Tornado is shaping up to be one of the most anticipated films of the year, hitting theaters on May 30, 2025.
