Cowboys and Aliens Trailer Lands

In recent years, Hollywood has rediscovered the Western for an injection of originality, with excellent results...most of the time (coughjonahhexcough). Now, Universal simultaneously throws their bowler hat onto that dusty trail and takes a second bite (Skyline being the first) of the "Alien Attack" scenario with COWBOYS and ALIENS! I have to admit, not having time to see anything about the film at San Diego Comic Con, and knowing Harrison Ford and Sam Rockwell were on board, I just assumed this was a comedy/action/adventure sort of thing! Color me shocked...

1873. Arizona Territory. A stranger (Craig) with no memory of his past stumbles into the hard desert town of Absolution. The only hint to his history is a mysterious shackle that encircles one wrist. What he discovers is that the people of Absolution don't welcome strangers, and nobody makes a move on its streets unless ordered to do so by the iron-fisted Colonel Dolarhyde (Ford). It's a town that lives in fear.

But Absolution is about to experience fear it can scarcely comprehend as the desolate city is attacked by marauders from the sky. Screaming down with breathtaking velocity and blinding lights to abduct the helpless one by one, these monsters challenge everything the residents have ever known.

Now, the stranger they rejected is their only hope for salvation. As this gunslinger slowly starts to remember who he is and where he's been, he realizes he holds a secret that could give the town a fighting chance against the alien force. With the help of the elusive traveler Ella (Olivia Wilde), he pulls together a posse comprised of former opponents—townsfolk, Dolarhyde and his boys, outlaws and Apache warriors—all in danger of annihilation. United against a common enemy, they will prepare for an epic showdown for survival.

The film stars Daniel Craig, Olivia Wilde, Clancy Brown and Keith Carradine as well.

Universal has Paul, the alien encounter comedy with our favorite duo from Shaun of the Dead, set for a March 18th release and Cowboys & Aliens locked in for July 29, 2011. Add to the list their prequel to The Thing on tap for 2011, and it seems we'll be swimming in alien goo for the foreseeable future.