Joel Edgerton Blows the Whistle on a Cruel Tradition in New Look at 'The Plague' [Exclusive]

From the underrated 2015 thriller The Gift to portraying Owen Lars in Attack of the Clones and Revenge of the Sith, Joel Edgerton has proven himself to be one of the best actors working today. Having previously been nominated for a Golden Globe for his titular role in the 2016 historical drama Loving, Edgerton now looks finally set to be acknowledged with an Academy Award nomination for his critically acclaimed lead performance in the upcoming Train Dreams. However, Clint Bentley‘s neo-western Oscar hopeful isn’t the only exciting Edgerton project ready to grace our screens. As part of Collider’s Exclusive Preview event, we are thrilled to reveal a new look at Edgerton in The Plague.

Scheduled to be released in a limited theatrical capacity on December 24, transitioning to a nationwide release on January 2, 2026, writer/director Charlie Polinger‘s The Plague is an upcoming psychological thriller that stars Edgerton alongside several young talents, including the likes of Everett Blunck, Kayo Martin, Kenny Rasmussen, and more. After making its world premiere back in May at the Un Certain Regard section of the 2025 Cannes Film Festival, the film earned wonderful acclaim from critics, including a perfect 100% rating on review aggregator Rotten Tomatoes. Now, ahead of the movie’s release, we can officially debut the image below, showcasing Edgerton as Daddy Wags in The Plague. A synopsis for the movie reads:

“At an all-boys water polo camp, a socially anxious twelve-year-old is pulled into a cruel tradition targeting an outcast with an illness they call “The Plague.” But as the lines between game and reality blur, he fears the joke might be hiding something real.”

‘The Plague’ Features Some Impressive Young Performances

To keep up with a huge talent like Edgerton is a task for any actor, let alone one young enough not to have yet driven a car. However, it is these young performances that have taken much of the praise from The Plague‘s first reviews. In a previous interview about the movie, Edgerton previewed the difficult content these young actors tackle in The Plague, saying, “It felt to me like I was watching some like Full Metal Jacket for 12-year-olds.” He continued, “I have kids, and I’m like I don’t know how I’m going to face that period of their lives… It’s the accidental cruelty, it’s the cruelty in pursuit of a laugh, or it’s the cruelty in pursuit of belonging, but it’s not cruelty for the sake of cruelty, which is unfortunate, but understandable.”

The Plague opens on December 24, 2025, and expands nationwide on January 2, 2026. Make sure to stay up to date with all of Collider’s exclusives from our winter preview series.