'Harriet' Trailer: Cynthia Erivo Is Harriet Tubman

The extraordinary life of Harriet Tubman gets the biopic treatment in Harriet, a new drama starring Cynthia Erivo as the legendary freedom fighter. Kasi Lemmons, director of Eve's Bayou, helms the feature, which also stars Leslie Odom Jr., Janelle Monáe, Joe Alwyn, Jennifer Nettles, and Clarke Peters. From the look of the film, it's the type of emotional drama that garners plenty of attention during awards season. Watch the Harriet trailer below.

The talent involved with Harriet is undeniably impressive. Cynthia Erivo is a powerhouse of an actress, and the more roles for her, the better. The same goes for  Leslie Odom Jr. and Janelle Monáe. And then you have director Kasi Lemmons – someone who doesn't make movies nearly as often as she should, back behind the camera. On top of all that you have the incredibly important story of Harriet Tubman. In short, this is going to be a film worth paying attention to.

That said, this trailer is a bit clunky. The scene where Odom Jr.'s character takes Harriet into a room and says, "Harriet, welcome to the Underground Railroad!" comes off as a little awkward, and I wouldn't be surprised if that's the type of blunt scene created specifically for a trailer. But we'll see.

Here's the synopsis:

Based on the thrilling and inspirational life of an iconic American freedom fighter, HARRIET tells the extraordinary tale of Harriet Tubman's escape from slavery and transformation into one of America's greatest heroes. Her courage, ingenuity, and tenacity freed hundreds of slaves and changed the course of history.

"This is the story of a seemingly powerless woman who accomplished the extraordinary to save her loved ones, and in the process became a leader of and inspiration for her people," said producers Debra Martin Chase and Daniela Taplin Lundberg. "While Harriet Tubman is a household name, most people don't know the breadth of her story — not only was she a conductor on the Underground Railroad, but she was a spy for the Union army and remains one of the few women to have led an armed expedition in U.S. history."

Harriet opens on November 1, 2019.