Fans were surprised with the reveal of The First Purge‘s poster, which used a red hat with the film’s title emblazoned on it, mirroring the hats worn by Donald Trump supporters that featured the phrase “Make America Great Again.” Timed to debut alongside Trump’s State of the Union Address, the film’s first teaser incorporates the famous phrase, which you can see below.
Videos by ComicBook.com
Coming off the most successful film in the series, The Purge: Election Year, creator James DeMonaco (writer/director of The Purge, The Purge: Anarchy and The Purge: Election Year) returns alongside the producers of this worldwide phenomenon: Blumhouse Productions’ Jason Blum (Insidious series, Get Out, Split), Platinum Dunes partners Michael Bay, Brad Fuller and Andrew Form (Teenage Mutant Ninja Turtles and Ouija series, The Texas Chainsaw Massacre), and DeMonaco’s longtime production partner, Sรฉbastien K. Lemercier (Assault on Precinct 13, Four Lovers).
Previously known as “The Purge: Island,” audiences knew this upcoming film would depict the very first Purge, yet the official title was only announced alongside the film’s poster. The above video teases how the event officially kicked off, with the video’s description shedding more light on the event:
“To push the crime rate below one percent for the rest of the year, the New Founding Fathers of America (NFFA) test a sociological theory that vents aggression for one night in one isolated community. But when the violence of oppressors meets the rage of the marginalized, the contagion will explode from the trial-city borders and spread across the nation.”
The announcement’s incorporation of the phrase “What makes America great?” and “There’s only one solution to keep our country great” are direct ties to Trump’s campaign and administration.
The previous film in the series, Election Year, debuted in the months leading up to the presidential election, with many audiences assuming the film was a reaction to Trump going up against Hilary Clinton in the polls, yet writer DeMonaco claimed the film was written in 2014, long before the candidates were decided.
The First Purge, on the other hand, is going all-in with its political themes, which will potentially excite or enrage fans.
The First Purge hits theaters on July 4.
