Jessica Biel ran into MTV’s TRL studios Monday to promote The Illusionist, in which she plays an 18th-century Viennese countess and co-stars along Edward Norton and Paul Giamatti. The Illusionist opens this coming Friday, August 18 in select theaters, and nationwide on Friday, September 1.

 - Doobybrain

From the producers of Crash and Sideways comes The Illusionist, a new movie with an all-star cast.  Edward Norton, Paul Giamatti, and Jessica Biel star in The Illusionist, a film of romance, politics, and magic set in turn-of-the-century Vienna.

The film is being released on August 18th, so be sure to write it down and check it out when it gets released! It should be an exciting and entertaining film with great performances expected from Norton and Giamatti (and Biel too, of course).

Read the synopsis and look at some movie stills in the gallery.

 - Doobybrain

The Illusionist Synopsis:

A supernatural mystery that combines romance, politics and magic, The Illusionist is the latest film from the producers of the Oscar winners Crash and Sideways.  The film stars Academy Award nominees Edward Norton and Paul Giamatti as two men pitted against each other in a battle of wits: Norton as mysterious stage magician Eisenheim, and Giamatti as Vienna’s shrewd Chief Inspector Uhl, with Jessica Biel sharing the screen as the beautiful Sophie von Teschen.

When word of Eisenheim’s astounding illusions reaches the powerful and pragmatic Crown Prince Leopold (Rufus Sewell), the ruler attends one of the magician’s shows in order to debunk Eisenheim during the performance.  But when the Prince’s intended, Sophie von Teschen,assists the magician onstage, Eisenheim and Sophie recognize each other from their childhoods—and a dormant love affair is rekindled.  As the clandestine romance continues, Uhl is charged by Leopold to intensify his efforts to expose Eisenheim, even while the magician gains a devoted and vocal public following. With Uhl doggedly searching for the reasons and the man behind the trickery, Eisenheim prepares to execute his greatest illusion yet.

The Illusionist is written and directed by Neil Burger, and features top-notch production values, including a haunting score by master contemporary composer Philip Glass.