I imagine there will be audiences quick to dismiss Mary Magdalene because it seems too Christian or not Christian enough. Evangelicals will look at a scene of Mary baptizing followers of Jesus and blanch, and secular audiences may not have the patience for any movie that is unapologetically religious. As my last name may have tipped you off, I was not raised Christian, so while I technically lean closer to a secular reading of the movie, I was impressed by how director Garth Davis unapologetically leans into a social justice reading of Jesus’ teachings as seen through the eyes of …

A new, official trailer for Mary Magdalene has landed online as the long-delayed film is finally poised to hit U.S. theaters next month. Directed by Lion helmer Garth Davis, the film stars Rooney Mara as the titular Biblical figure opposite Joaquin Phoenix’s Jesus, as it aims to take a closer look at Mary’s involvement with and inclusion in Jesus’ group of followers. The movie was shot back in 2016 and was initially poised to be released last March, but the downfall of The Weinstein Company put its future in jeopardy. The film still opened in some …