The latest trailer for Judas and the Black Messiah has arrived from Warner Bros. and it previews a film that has “Oscar” written all over it.
Lakeith Stanfield is FBI informant William O’Neal, who is tasked with getting close to the enigmatic leader of the Illinois Black Panther Party, Daniel Kaluuya’s (Get Out) Fred Hampton. The agency, led by FBI Director J. Edgar Hoover (Martin Sheen) believes that the Party is the single greatest threat to United States national security and as such, he’s going after them with a vengeance. Now, he has someone on the inside—the Judas of our title—but will what O’Neal sees and experiences alter his view of his mission? See Jesse Plemons’ Special Agent Roy Mitchell has him on numerous charges and unless he complies, he’s looking at jail time.
To say he’s conflicted is a gross understatement.
Hampton’s national presence grows over time and O’Neal gets close, but the man who’s supposed he’s supposed to lead the feds to becomes something much more endearing than a simple target and a ticket out of jail. He gets a front-row seat to what the Black Panther Party is all about and it is much more than revolution.
Meanwhile, Hampton is falling in love with fellow Party member Deborah Johnson (Dominique Fishback), and they are expecting a child together. That’ll complicate things. Or will it?
Judas and the Black Messiah is directed by first-time helmer Shaka King from a script he penned with Will Berson. The supporting ensemble features Jermaine Fowler, Ashton Sander, Algee Smith, Robert Longstreet, and Lil Rel Howery.
Look for the film to premiere in theaters on February 12, but also simultaneously on HBO Max.