Nelson Mandela's critical health has been making headlines since his admission into the hospital weeks ago, so the release of the Weinstein Co.'s upcoming feature "Mandela: Long Walk to Freedom" couldn't be more timely.
The trailer for the film was released on Yahoo Movies on Friday and stars British actor Idris Elba as the iconic Mandela. The film is based off of Mandela's 1994 autobiography "Long Walk to Freedom" and co-stars former Bond girl Naomie Harris as Mandela's wife, Winnie.
The film profiles Mandela's life, and as the trailer shows, pays special attention to the South African president's political career and peacemaking attempts. Intercuts of words used to describe Mandela, like "revolutionary," "outlaw," "radical," and "liberator" appear throughout the trailer. The two-and-a-half minute clip ends with Elba reciting Mandela's famous words, "Freedom, it is an ideal for which I am prepared to die."
The film's appropriate timing has not gone unnoticed by its stars. Elba recently expressed his concern over Mandela's ailing health to MTV News, saying "my heart and prayers are with his family this moment."
Check out the trailer for "Mandela: Long Walk to Freedom" below!
Photo courtesy of the Weinstein Company.