Netflix released the first trailer for Barry, its film about a college-aged Barack Obama, on Monday morning.
Barry centers on one year in the life of the future President of the United States as he attends New York City’s Columbia University in 1981 and is faced with “questions about race, culture and identity.”
Newcomer Devon Terrell plays the young Obama in the film, while Jason Mitchell (Straight Outta Compton), Anya Taylor-Joy (The Witch), Ellar Coltrane (Boyhood), Ashley Judd (Double Jeopardy) and Jenna Elfman (Dharma and Greg) round out the cast.
Vikram Gandhi (Kumaré) directs the film off of a script by newcomer Adam Mansbach.
Netflix beat out several other competitors to acquire worldwide distribution rights to Barry at the Toronto International Film Festival in September. The streaming giant was reported to have paid $4.5 million to acquire the film.
Barry is the second film this year to focus on the early life of President Obama. Richard Tanne’s Southside With You, released last summer, told the story of Obama’s first date with then-Michelle Robinson in Chicago during the summer of 1989.
That film, starring Parker Sawyers and Tika Sumpter as the future First Couple, debuted to rave reviews but disappointed at the box office.
Barry premieres December 16 on Netflix.
Follow Daniel Nussbaum on Twitter: @dznussbaum
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