It’s hard to figure out what ‘Antebellum’ is about, but it looks scary! Janelle Monáe stars as a successful author named Veronica Henley, who suddenly “finds herself trapped in a horrifying reality and must uncover the mind-bending history before it’s too late.”
In the new trailer, Monáe is seen being stalked, grabbed from behind, and confronting a creepy little girl, among other things. But what’s with the Civil War footage? Obviously, that’s where this movie gets its name, and Monáe can also be seen in those scenes playing a slave. It’s odd to see these period visuals while a modern 911 operator speaks over the clip. It should be interesting to see how these two stories connect. (Considering Monáe is playing a writer, perhaps this is the novel she is working on? But that’s just a guess.)
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Music video directors Gerard Bush and Christopher Renz (Bush+Renz) make their film debut with ‘Antebellum’. The duo also wrote the screenplay. Sean McKittrick acts as producer, and among his past projects are ‘Us’, ‘Get Out’, and ‘BlacKkKlansman.’ Obviously, with the Civil War setting, similar themes of society and race will be explored. Pedro Luque (‘The Girl in the Spider’s Web’, ‘Don’t Breathe’) acts as cinematographer.
In addition to Monáe, the cast includes Marque Richardson II, Eric Lang, Jack Huston, Kiersey Clemons, Tongayi Chirisa, Gabourey Sidibe, Rob Aramayo, Lily Cowles, and Jena Malone.
Watch the trailer for yourself below:
Monáe is mainly known for being an acclaimed musical artist. Her first releases formed a concept “suite” inspired by the 1927 Fritz Lang sci-fi movie ‘Metropolis‘. She has won numerous awards for her music but has also been recognized for her acting in films such as ‘Moonlight’, ‘Hidden Figures‘, ‘Welcome to Marwen’, and most recently ‘Harriet’ which is currently in theaters. She is also slated to replace Julia Roberts on the HBO series ‘Homecoming’. However, this will be her first headlining film role.
‘Antebellum’ is set to hit theaters on April 24, 2020.
