After several weeks of gorgeous teasers, Amazon has finally unveiled the first “official” trailer forBarry Jenkins' limited seriesThe Underground Railroad, which is now set to premiere May 14 on Prime Video.
The 10-episode series stars newcomerThuso Mbedu,Chase W. DillonandJoel Edgerton, while the supporting cast includesWill Poulter,William Jackson Harper,Peter Mullan,Lily Rabe,Damon Herriman,Sheila Atim,Amber Gray,Peter De Jersey,Chukwudi Iwuji,Irone Singleton,Mychal-Bella Bowman,Marcus “MJ” Gladney Jr.and up-and-comingKryptonalumAaron Pierre, who will soon be seen inM. Night Shyamalan’s thrillerOld.
The Underground Railroadchronicles Cora Randall’s (Mbedu) desperate bid for freedom in the antebellum South. After escaping a Georgia plantation for the rumored Underground Railroad, Cora discovers no mere metaphor, but an actual railroad full of engineers and conductors, and a secret network of tracks and tunnels beneath the Southern soil.
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Over the course of her journey, Cora is pursued by Ridgeway (Edgerton), a bounty hunter who is fixated on bringing her back to the plantation she escaped — especially since her mother Mabel is the only one he has never caught. As she travels from state to state, Cora contends with the legacy of the mother that left her behind, and her own struggles to realize a life she never thought was possible.
Jenkins, whose dramaMoonlightwon the Oscar for Best Picture, directed all 10 episodes of the limited series, in addition to serving as showrunner. He also executive producedThe Underground Railroadalongside Pastel’sAdele RomanskiandMark Ceryakand Plan B’sDede Gardner,Jeremy KleinerandBrad Pitt, as well asRichard Heus,Jacqueline HoytandColson Whitehead, the latter of whom wrote the Pulitzer Prize-winning novel on which the series is based.
The Underground Railroadis one of my top-five most anticipated new shows this year, and I can’t wait to bask in Jenkins' latest vision, which looks both powerful and visually dazzling. Watch the first trailer below, which certainly looks like an Emmy contender, and keep an eye on Mbedu seeing as how Jenkins made stars out ofMoonlight’sTrevante RhodesandAshton Sandersas well asKiKi LaynefromIf Beale Street Could Talk.
KEEP READING:‘The Underground Railroad’: Barry Jenkins Releases Another Gorgeous Teaser for His Amazon Series
