‘Arrival’ Trailer: Intense Sci-Fi Thriller Shows Amy Adams’ First Contact With Aliens

Aliens have landed on Earth — and we have no idea what they want or how to communicate with them. That's the premise of the Denis Villeneuve-directed sci-fi thriller Arrival, which released its first full trailer Tuesday. 

The film stars Amy Adams as expert linguist Dr. Louise Banks, who is given the task of trying to make proper contact with a mysterious alien species that has come to Earth in oblong spaceships. These mysterious ships — or "shells," as they're referred to by other characters in the trailer — have landed across the globe, opening up every 18 hours. That's when Banks approaches and makes her first physical contact with the species upon removing her hazmat suit. 

The trailer suggests that communication between the aliens is vital to figuring out whether the species is coming in peace or not — and conversely, whether they'll perceive mankind as a threat to their own existence. At the very least, Arrival places importance on the real-life jobs of linguists. 

"We need to make sure that they understand the difference between a weapon and a tool," Banks explains. "Language is messy and sometimes one can be both." 

Watch the trailer for Arrival, which hits theaters Nov. 11, below.