First Trailer for 12 YEARS A SLAVE

The first trailer for director Steve McQueen's follow-up to Shame has been released. Based on Solomon Northup’s autobiography of the same name, 12 Years a Slave tells the story of Northup as played by Chiwetel Ejiofor who was a free slave in 1853 before he was tricked into slavery for over a decade. The film looks to chronicle that time Northup spent as a slave under owner Edwin Epps who is played by a ferociously menacing Michael Fassbender. The trailer gives off a clear style and tone with hints of great performances from both of the aforementioned lead actors, but it also highlights many of the supporting characters and the impressive people that fill those roles. Beyond the bigger names that include the likes of Brad Pitt and Alfre Woodard we are also given bits of Paul Giamatti, Paul Dano, and Benedict Cumberbatch. The trailer chooses not to mention Quvenzhane Wallis who it seems will have a very small role in the film while it does highlight Lupita Nyong'o who doesn't have any feature references before this point, but looks to have a prominent role in acclimating Northup with his new environment and the ways in which he must operate under his new owners laws. Naturally, that Northup can't bring himself to do this will cause the main conflict of the story, but with McQueen's directorial touch and the performances this roster of great actors will no doubt bring with the material there is no surprise a good amount of Oscar talk already surrounds this picture. I have seen Shame, but have yet to look at the director and Fassbender's first collaboration, Hunger, but will hopefully get around to it before checking this film out when it hits theaters on December 27th. There was at first concern about comparisons to Django given the subject matter, but this trailer presents such a different take on the time period and a seemingly far more complex story that I don't feel the two films coming out so close to one another will present an issue. 12 Years a Slave also stars Sarah Paulson, Scoot McNairy, Garrett Dillahunt, Dwight Henry, and Michael K. Williams. Hit the jump to check out the trailer.



Synopsis: 12 YEARS A SLAVE is based on an incredible true story of one man’s fight for survival and freedom. In the pre-Civil War United States, Solomon Northup (Chiwetel Ejiofor), a free black man from upstate New York, is abducted and sold into slavery. Facing cruelty (personified by a malevolent slave owner, portrayed by Michael Fassbender) as well as unexpected kindnesses, Solomon struggles not only to stay alive, but to retain his dignity. In the twelfth year of his unforgettable odyssey, Solomon’s chance meeting with a Canadian abolitionist (Brad Pitt) forever alters his life.

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