After a brief clip aired earlier this week, the first trailer for the Nelson Mandela biopic Mandela: Long Walk To Freedom was released yesterday — just in time for the former South African president’s 95th birthday.
Directed by Justin Chadwick, Mandela: Long Walk To Freedom is based on an original screenplay by William Nicholson. The film, which stars Idris Elba as Nelson Mandela and Naomie Harris as his wife Winnie, tells the story of the South African prisoner-turned-president from his younger days through his long incarceration to the end of apartheid and his ascension to power.
The Weinstein Company screened parts of the film for the United Nations General Assembly on Thursday as part of the celebration of Nelson Mandela International Day.
The studio is set to release Long Walk To Freedom Nov. 29 — right in the middle of awards season. Reports suggest the movie will be an Oscar contender, with Elba possibly being nominated for Best Actor.
Watch the first Mandela: Long Walk To Freedom trailer below…
