(Photo: Western Edge Pictures/Moffen Media Limited)

Billie Piper's directorial debut Rare Beasts gets a U.S. release next month, and the newly released trailer suggests it's a pretty uncompromising effort.

The Doctor Who favorite writes, directs, and stars in the British indie film that's been described as an "anti-rom com." The trailer shows her character Mandy vomiting after a disastrous date with Pete (Leo Bill), a man who says during their meal that he finds women "intolerable."

Despite this misogynistic comment revealing his rather traditional views, which Mandy is understandably repulsed by, she seems strangely drawn to him – perhaps against her better judgement. If the trailer is anything to go by, Piper seems keen to mine this unusual scenario for a similar type of brutally honest black comedy to her recent HBO Max/Sky Atlantic series I Hate Suzie. Earlier this year Piper received a BAFTA TV nomination for her performance in the acclaimed series, which she co-created with Succession writer Lucy Prebble.

Rare Beasts co-stars David Thewlis, Lily James, and Kerry Fox. It opens in select theaters and on VOD on August 20. In the meantime, you can watch Billie Piper talking about the movie during her recent appearance on The Graham Norton Show.

Are you intrigued by Billie Piper's Rare Beasts?