Will Smith returns to theaters and homes with the official trailer for Emancipation. The Apple TV+ movie will follow Smith’s character as an enslaved man in Louisiana before escaping captivity and joining the Union Army after gaining his freedom. The project is likely one of the most moving performances of the actor’s career, as he plays an interpretation of “Whipped Peter,” known for a photo that displayed the brutality of slavery.

In the trailer, we see Smith’s recreation of the horrific picture and his time on the run through the Louisiana swamps. Peter seems to make it through the tortuous journey, eventually becoming a soldier and fighting against the same army which hopes to keep him in chains. The official trailer released courtesy of AppleTV+ can be found below.

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The official synopsis for Emancipation reads: “A runaway slave forges through the swamps of Louisiana on a tortuous journey to escape plantation owners that nearly killed him.” Ben Foster joins Smith in the lead roles alongside Grant Harvey, David Denman, Steven Ogg, Charmaine Bingwa, Imani Pullum, Paul Ben-Victor, Mustafa Shakir, and Dave Davis.

Antoine Fuqua helms the movie, with plenty of experience directing major feature films in Hollywood. Fuqua is behind some well-received projects, including The Magnificent Seven, The Equalizer, and Southpaw. In 2001, he helmed Training Day, helping Denzel Washington land an Oscar for Best Actor in a Leading Role. Emancipation releases later next month, arriving in theaters on Dec. 2 and streaming on Apple TV+ on Dec. 9.

Will Smith Says Emancipation Shows a ‘Critical Part of American History’

     Apple TV+

“I fight them. They beat me. They whip me. They break the bones in my body more times than I can count. But they never, never break me,” Peter says in the trailer. His will and determination will undoubtedly be inspiring in the upcoming film though the material will be disturbing to witness. During an interview with Vanity Fair, Will Smtih was asked whether he feels the brutality and violence toward Black men in the movie could be too triggering and encourage further violence. He understands the viewpoint, though he believes the story needs to be told.

Emancipation will be the first film released from Smith since the infamous Oscars slap at the 94th Academy Awards earlier this year. After a brief hiatus following the Chris Rock incident, the actor hopes to jumpstart his career back into superstardom with the project. Fans can see how Emancipation turns out when Smith hits the big screen on Dec. 2 in theaters and streaming on Dec. 9.

“I think the difficult part for all of us connected to the project was to reconcile that these events actually happened. We didn’t make this story up. Those scars are real. This is a critical part of American history and I believe that acknowledging it and learning about it is central to the future betterment and elevation of our country, and even the world. Like Peter, through the suffering we can and will find emancipation; physically, emotionally, and maybe most importantly, the emancipation of our minds.”