Sundance sensation 'The Witch' gets frightfully freaking first trailer

In the last few years, horror fans have been treated to sharp indie terrors, like It Follows and The Babadook, that pulled off big scares on a dime. And now another film from the Sundance set, The Witch is looking to continue the trend, starting with its first beautifully unsettling trailer.

The film, which won rave reviews at Sundance this past January, tells the story of a family living in colonial New England, who are forced out of their town because of the parents’ fantatically devout religious beliefs. On the edge of the wood where they create their new homestead, the group is quickly beset upon by a witch, who we nearly see in the trailer stealing a baby.

The Witch is the feature debut from writer-director Robert Eggers, who has previously worked as a production designer, costume designer, and art director. That may explain why the dour setting of colonial America happens to be particularly striking in this first preview. Eggers won Best Director at Sundance and has already lined up two studio jobs, including a remake of Nosferatu.

Keep an eye out for the film sometime in 2016, and check out the official poster below, starring the breakout character, Black Phillip.