Anne Hathaway stars in first trailer for Robert Zemeckis' fantasy epic The Witches

This latest iteration of the beloved fantasy tale comes courtesy of director Robert Zemeckis, known for his iconic Back to the Future trilogy, Forrest Gump and experimental family fare such as The Polar Express.

Ambitious visual effects are frequently at the centre of his work and we catch a glimpse of that here, as Hathaway is transformed into the evil Grand High Witch, who plots to kill the children staying at a fancy hotel.

She transforms a young boy, played by newcomer Jahzir Kadeem Bruno, into a mouse for extermination, but he hatches a plan to fight back with help from his loving grandmother (Academy Award winner Octavia Spencer).

Check out the wild first trailer below:

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=cgoTUHHGHJk

The Witches had originally been scheduled for release in cinemas, but due to the coronavirus pandemic it has been shifted to a streaming exclusive in the US.

The film will be available from Thursday 22nd October on HBO Max in the US, but those eagerly awaiting its release in the UK may need to hold on a bit longer.

HBO Max is yet to launch on our shores, meaning The Witches is going ahead with a cinema release in the UK, but there is uncertainty over when it will arrive amid a rise in cases of COVID-19.

Expect Warner Bros to confirm their international release strategy for The Witches in the coming weeks, as the studio assesses the lessons learned from their recent challenges with Christopher Nolan's Tenet.

The Witches was previously adapted on the big screen in 1990, in a cult favourite family flick of the same name starring Anjelica Huston as the main antagonist.

The Witches is coming soon to cinemas. Looking for something else to watch? Check out our guide to the best series on Netflix and best movies on Netflix, or visit our TV Guide.