'Death on the Nile' trailer featuring Armie Hammer drops despite ongoing controversy surrounding actor

A new trailer of the upcoming Hollywood movie 'Death on the Nile' dropped on Tuesday, featuring glimpses of disgraced actor Armie Hammer in the wake of his rape allegations and cannibalism scandal.

The trailer was shared on the film's official Instagram page with a caption that read, "ICYMI: check out the new trailer for #DeathOnTheNile, coming to theaters February 11."

The long-delayed star-studded whodunit is directed by Kenneth Branagh and features an ensemble cast of Hammer, Gal Gadot, Ali Fazal, Annette Bening, Russell Brand, Letitia Wright, Sophie Okonedo, Jennifer Saunders, Rose Leslie, Tom Bateman, Dawn French and Emma Mackey.

Hammer plays a newlywed, Simon Doyle, alongside Gadot's Linnet Ridgeway Doyle, in the film. Branagh's detective Hercule Poirot is tasked with finding the murderer of a young heiress aboard a cruise ship on the Nile River.

Throughout the 2-minute trailer, Hammer can be seen in glimpses with only one speaking line shown in the recently-released trailer.

As per People magazine, Hammer is currently facing rape allegations for a 2017 incident with his former partner, who came forward in March accusing the actor of sexual assault. He has denied all the accusations levelled against him.

The woman, identified only by her first name Effie, said Hammer "violently raped" her for four hours in Los Angeles.

In a statement shared with People magazine, Hammer's lawyer denied the rape allegations, stating that the encounter between Hammer and Effie was "completely consensual, discussed and agreed upon in advance, and mutually participatory."

His lawyer added, "Effie's own correspondence with Mr Hammer undermines and refutes her outrageous allegations. As recently as July 18, 2020, [Effie] sent graphic texts to Mr Hammer telling him what she wanted him to do to her. Mr Hammer responded making it clear that he did not want to maintain that type of relationship with her."

After Effie's March press conference, the Los Angeles Police Department confirmed Hammer was under investigation for sexual assault in a case that was opened in February.

Before Effie came forward with her side of the story, multiple women also spoke up to accuse Hammer of alleged abusive behaviour and violent fantasies. He was dropped by his talent agency William Morris Endeavor in February and also lost his agent.

In the months following rape and abuse accusations, Hammer has been ousted from Hollywood. He has exited Jennifer Lopez's 'Shotgun Wedding', the thriller 'Billion Dollar Spy', the Paramount Plus series 'The Offer' and the Broadway play, 'The Minutes'.

In June, the actor, who shares a daughter and son with ex Elizabeth Chambers, checked into a Florida program for drug, alcohol and sex issues a month prior.

Earlier this month, Hammer's lawyer told People magazine in a statement, "I can confirm that Mr Hammer has left the treatment facility and is doing great."

A source told the outlet that Hammer "will continue with out-patient treatments" and that he "takes it very seriously."

Hammer will be next seen in 'Death on the Nile', a follow-up to 2017's 'Murder on the Orient Express', which is set to hit theatres on February 11, after experiencing several postponements amid the pandemic.

It was originally slated for an October 2020 release. The film was made in late 2019.

( With inputs from ANI )

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