20th Century Fox has released the first trailer for Ben Stiller's next directorial effort, The Secret Life of Walter Mitty.  In the remake of the 1947 film, Stiller stars as the eponymous LIFE Magazine proofreader who, incapable of standing up for himself in the real world, retreats to a fantasy where he becomes his poised, confident opposite.  Trailers these days tend to follow a fairly predictable path, complete with dubstep and "BWAAAM" moments that aim to highlight a particularly exciting and/or expensive sequence.  This trailer for Walter Mitty, however, is brilliantly refreshing, as it attempts to capture the mood and tone of the film with a simple (and haunting) Of Monsters and Men song and minimal dialogue.  It really looks like Stiller has crafted something special here, and this is exactly the kind of film I'm eager to see following a summer filled with studio blockbusters.  I also wouldn't be surprised if The Secret Life of Walter Mitty turned out to be a major awards contender later this year.

Hit the jump to watch the trailer, and if you missed Steve's interview with Stiller and Kristen Wiig from CinemaCon, click here.  The film also stars Sean Penn, Adam Scott, Patton Oswalt, and Shirley MacLaine.  The Secret Life of Walter Mitty opens December 25th.

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Here’s the official synopsis for The Secret Life of Walter Mitty:

Ben Stiller directs and stars in THE SECRET LIFE OF WALTER MITTY, James Thurber's classic story of a day-dreamer who escapes his anonymous life by disappearing into a world of fantasies filled with heroism, romance and action. When his job along with that of his co-worker (Kristen Wiig) are threatened, Walter takes action in the real world embarking on a global journey that turns into an adventure more extraordinary than anything he could have ever imagined.