Comic book movies are all the rage nowadays, but Andrea Berloff’s THE KITCHEN — based on the DC/Vertigo series — is mixing things up a bit by not featuring any costumed vigilantes. Instead of being another superhero adventure, the source material is a throwback to the days when the medium was populated with gritty, pulp detective stories and gangster tales. And that’s definitely an aesthetic that has been nailed in the latest trailer for the film:

The new movie is Andrea Berloff's directorial debut, having established herself in the industry with scripts written for projects like Oliver Stone's WORLD TRADE CENTER and F. Gary Gray's STRAIGHT OUTTA COMPTON. With THE KITCHEN, she is taking audiences back to 1978 New York and telling the story of three housewives who partner up in crime when their respective husbands are arrested and sent to prison. Melissa McCarthy, Tiffany Haddish and Elisabeth Moss lead the ensemble, but the cast is absolutely stacked and also includes Domhnall Gleeson, James Badge Dale, Brian d'Arcy James, Margo Martindale, Common and Bill Camp.

You may have noticed that two out of three of the film’s leads are primarily known for their work in comedy, but you really shouldn’t expect a whole lot of laughs when going to see THE KITCHEN. The material here is serious and clearly an attempt by the actresses to broaden their range.

In Melissa McCarthy’s case, audiences will long see her as the star of movies like BRIDESMAIDS, SPY and GHOSTBUSTERS, but it is worth noting that she has been doing some impressive, more dramatic work in recent years. The most notable example of this, of course, is Marielle Heller's CAN YOU EVER FORGIVE ME? from last year. It's true that there were comedic elements of the performance, but that was primarily a serious part, and it wound up earning McCarthy her second Academy Award® nomination.

For Tiffany Haddish, though, this experience is a bit more novel. The actress broke out in 2017 with her hilarious role in Malcolm D. Lee’s GIRLS TRIP, and her work since then, be it in live-action or voice-over performances for animation, has all been comedy. THE KITCHEN will provide a whole new spotlight for Haddish, and it could wind up opening a lot of doors in her career going forward.

As for Elisabeth Moss, this kind of drama is her bread and butter, though it is worth taking a moment to highlight her strong 2019 so far. She’s earned acclaim for two of her feature projects already this year (HER SMELL and US) and is back on the television front starring in the Hulu original series “The Handmaid’s Tale.”

You’ll be able to see all three actresses together on the big screen flexing their dramatic muscles very soon, as THE KITCHEN will be hitting AMC theatres nationwide on August 9.