As long as projects like Midnight Special come along every once in a while, the ongoing onslaught of reboots, remakes, superhero crossovers and endless franchises will never completely dominate the cinematic landscape.

From the mind of director and writer Jeff Nichols (Mud, Take Shelter, Shotgun Stories), Midnight Special blends sci-fi tropes with good ol’ fashion chase movie action as a father (Michael Shannon) is forced to flee his home with his son, Alton (Jaeden Lieberher), in order to uncover the mysteries behind the boy’s special powers.

Hot on their trail is a group of religious extremists and law enforcement, escalating this into a nationwide manhunt for the child. Rounding out Midnight Special is a stellar cast that includes Kirsten Dunst, Adam Driver and Joel Edgerton.

Midnight Special is a step outside the box for Nichols—who has mainly stuck to psychological dramas and Southern fairytales (seriously, Mud is a fairytale)—but the man knows his stuff, comparing this movie to the '80s works of John Carpenter. That's a lofty goal to set, but with a track record like Nichols', it's hard to dismiss him. 

Check out the trailer for Midnight Special below:

Midnight Special hits theaters on March 18, 2016.

via Collider